| Val's gundi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Ctenodactylidae |
| Genus: | Ctenodactylus |
| Species: | C. vali |
| Binomial name | |
| Ctenodactylus vali Thomas, 1902 | |
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| distribution | |
Val's gundi (Ctenodactylus vali) is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is known from two widely separated areas of North Africa.
Val's gundi is very similar to the other species of gundi, especially the common gundi, with grey, soft, silky fur and a resemblance to guinea pigs. They have rounded ears; round eyes; stocky, blunt nosed bodies; short legs; short necks; and short, furry tails. [2]
Val's gundi is found in two isolated populations. The western population occurs in northeastern Morocco but with the main part of the population in adjacent parts of northwestern Algeria, in the Oued Guir, Oued Zouzfana and Oued Saoura, with the most southernly record from Kerzaz in Algeria. The eastern population is in northwestern Libya, some 1,000 km (620 mi) from the other population and is found on high plateaus at about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in altitude. [1]
Val's gundi is found in rocky habitats, using fissures and rocky crevices as shelters. Compared to the common gundi it inhabits drier desert regions and is less sociable and much more solitary. The males and females only come together in the breeding season which lasts from November to January. It is generally diurnal, but it is occasionally active for short periods after sunset. The gestation period of 56 days after which a litter of one to three young are born, the female gives birth to two or three litters per year. [1] The previous litters are independent prior to the birth of the next litter. [3]
Val's gundi is thought to be limited to rockier and drier habitat as a result of competition with the common gundi. [3]
Val's gundi was considered to be a subspecies of common gundi, but studies have shown that it is morphologically and behaviourally distinctive. [1] The derivation of the name is from a local word for the rodent rather than after a person, "vali" may be a local word for this rodent, as is "gundi" elsewhere. [4]
Val's gundi is currently listed as Data Deficient since there is no substantial information on the species range or population numbers or abundance, making it difficult to ascertain what the true status of the species is. It is thought that as there are no likely threats to the species its true status may be Least Concern. [1]
The water vole is the largest North American vole. It is found in the northwestern United States and southern parts of western Canada. This animal has been historically considered a member of genus Arvicola, but molecular evidence demonstrates that it is more closely related to North American Microtus species. Water voles are on the USDA Forest Service Region 2 sensitive species list because they maintain very small populations and there is high concern that their required habitat may be declining.
The southern bog lemming is a small North American lemming. Its range overlaps with the other species in genus Synaptomys, the northern bog lemming, in southeastern Canada, but extends farther south.
Gundis or comb rats are a group of small, stocky rodents found in Africa. They live in rocky deserts across the northern parts of the continent. The family comprises four living genera and five species, as well as numerous extinct genera and species. They are in the superfamily Ctenodactyloidea. Local people in northern Africa have always known about gundis, however they first came to the notice of western naturalists in Tripoli in 1774, and were given the name gundi mice. While they are not regarded as pests, some people hunt gundis for food.
The short-tailed field vole, short-tailed vole, or simply field vole is a grey-brown vole, around 10 cm in length, with a short tail. It is one of the most common mammals in Europe, with a range extending from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. These voles are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh or on river banks. Although they make shallow burrows, they usually build nests above ground. They are an important food source for owls and some other predators and their population size tends to peak and trough cyclically. Field voles breed prolifically, mainly in summer, but often all year round, even under snow. Females produce up to seven litters a year, each averaging from four to six young which are weaned after about fourteen days. The short-tailed field vole is both widespread and common and is listed as being of "Least Concern" by the IUCN.
Jameson's red rock hare is a leporid found only on the continent of Africa, mostly in the southern portion of the continent. Zimbabwe and Namibia are thought to have the largest populations of the red rock hare and it is said to be found throughout both countries. South Africa has a population of this red rock hare but it is only found in the northwestern part of the country. Botswana also has a population in the Tswapong Hills.
The common punaré, is a species of spiny rat endemic to Brazil.
The Cairo spiny mouse, also known as the common spiny mouse, Egyptian spiny mouse, or Arabian spiny mouse, is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Africa north of the Sahara, where its natural habitats are rocky areas and hot deserts. It is omnivorous and feeds on seeds, desert plants, snails, and insects. It is a gregarious animal and lives in small family groups. It is the first and only known rodent species that exhibit spontaneous decidualization and menstruation.
The North African gerbil is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in North Africa where its natural habitats are arable land and rocky areas of the Maghreb, and hot Saharan deserts.
The bushy-tailed woodrat, or packrat is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in Canada and the United States. Its natural habitats are boreal forests, temperate forests, dry savanna, temperate shrubland, and temperate grassland.
The yellow-nosed cotton rat is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is native to Mexico and to the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas in the United States, where it inhabits mountain grassland, scrub, and pinyon-juniper woodland. It is common over much of its wide range and the IUCN considers it to be of "least concern".
The Barbary ground squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus Atlantoxerus. It is endemic to the Atlas mountains in Morocco and some parts in Algeria, and has been introduced into the Canary Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland and rocky areas where it lives colonially in burrows. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Ctenodactylus is a genus of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It encompasses the common gundi and the closely related species Val's gundi.
The felou gundi is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is monotypic within the genus Felovia. It is found in Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and rocky areas.
Lagidium is a genus of rodents in the family Chinchillidae.
The Mzab gundi is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is monotypic within the genus Massoutiera. It is found in Algeria, Chad, Mali, Niger, and possibly Libya. The Mzab gundi can live in a variety of climates, including arid deserts with sparse vegetation and annual rainfall less than 20 mm. However, it lacks many of the adaptations other rodents use to cope with such extreme environments, instead relying on behavior to survive in those regions.
Speke's pectinator or Speke's gundi, is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pectinator. It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and rocky areas.
The common gundi is a species of rodent in the family Ctenodactylidae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. The parasitic organism Toxoplasma gondii was first described in 1908 in Tunis by Charles Nicolle and Louis Manceaux within the tissues of the gundi.
