Greater Egyptian jerboa

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Greater Egyptian jerboa
Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Present
Jaculus orientalis Plzen zoo 02.2011.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Dipodidae
Genus: Jaculus
Species:
J. orientalis
Binomial name
Jaculus orientalis
Erxleben, 1777

The greater Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus orientalis) is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. [2] It is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and is possibly extinct in the Negev Desert of Israel. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, sandy shores, and arable land.

Contents

Description

An adult greater Egyptian jerboa has a head-and-body length of about 13 centimetres (5 in) and a tail of 20 centimetres (8 in). The upper parts are yellowish-brown or sandy-brown and the underparts are white. The hind legs are very large and are about four times longer than the forelimbs. [3] The feet have hairy pads which improves locomotion on sand. The tail is nearly naked but ends in a large tuft of hair which is black at the base and white at the tip. The tail is used as a prop to stabilise the animal when it stands and moves on its hind legs. [3]

Distribution and habitat

On the African continent, the greater Egyptian jerboa is found in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It is also present in the Judaean Desert, the Negev Desert (possibly extinct by 2016 [4] ) and on the Sinai Peninsula. It occupies a wide range of habitat types including deserts and semi-deserts, sand dunes near the coast, marshes, pasture, and arable land. [1]

Behaviour

Stuffed specimen in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan Jaculus orientalis Stuffed specimen 2.jpg
Stuffed specimen in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan

The greater Egyptian jerboa is a sociable species. The burrows are dug in firm ground and may be up to 2 metres (7 ft) long. It shelters inside during the day, emerging at dusk or at night to forage for seeds, shoots and roots. Food is sometimes stored in chambers in the burrow. This jerboa probably does not need to drink as it gets enough moisture from its food. [5] It has been observed sheltering under, and eating desert truffles ( Terfezia species). [6]

Breeding usually takes place between November and July. The nesting chamber may have some animal fur as bedding. [5] The gestation period is about forty days and the litter size ranges from two to five. There is a single litter in the year and a long developmental period before the young are weaned. When first born, the young have hind legs the same length as their forelegs and as they begin to move around, do so by dragging themselves with their forelimbs. [7] The hind legs gradually lengthen and by four weeks, quadrupedal locomotion starts. Bipedal locomotion starts about seven weeks after birth. [7]

Status

The greater Egyptian jerboa has a wide range and is common in much of that range. It is a nocturnal species and seems to have no major threats. The population is stable and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerboa</span> Family of rodents

Jerboas are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four-toed jerboa</span> Species of mammal

The four-toed jerboa is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and genus Scarturus that has four digits. Four-toed jerboas are native to Egypt and Libya. They live in coastal salt marshes and dry deserts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangaroo mouse</span> Genus of mammals belonging to the kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, and pocket mice family of rodents

A kangaroo mouse is either one of the two species of jumping mouse native to the deserts of the southwestern United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. The name "kangaroo mouse" refers to the species' extraordinary jumping ability, as well as its habit of bipedal locomotion. The two species are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipodoidea</span> Family of rodents

Dipodoidea is a superfamily of rodents, also known as dipodoids, found across the Northern Hemisphere. This superfamily includes over 50 species among the 16 genera in 3 families. They include the jerboas, jumping mice, and birch mice. Different species are found in grassland, deserts, and forests. They are all capable of saltation, a feature that is most highly evolved in the desert-dwelling jerboas.

<i>Allactaga</i> Genus of mammals

The genus Allactaga contains the five-toed jerboas of Asia. They are small mammals belonging to the order of rodents. They are characteristically known as the hopping rodents of the desert and semi-arid regions. They have long hind feet, short forelimbs, and walk upright. They have large ears in comparison to their body size and a large tail. The tail assists and serves as support when the jerboa is standing upright. The jerboa body length ranges from 5–15 cm and has a tail ranging from 7–25 cm. The "forelimbs of the jerboa serve as a pair of hands for feeding, grooming, etc." Jerboas use their nose to burrow and push the dirt when looking for food. The male jerboa is usually larger in size and weight in comparison to the female jerboa. The pelt of the jerboa is either silky or velvety in texture and light in color, the coloration helps camouflage into surroundings to avoid predators. All members of the genus have five toes.

The Iranian jerboa is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and subfamily Allactaginae. They are characteristically known as hopping rodents and have only been found in a small population in Iran. Iranian jerboa are microhabitat specialist, they require a particular environment to provide them with specific conditions suitable for living.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser Egyptian jerboa</span> Species of rodent

The lesser jerboa is a small rodent of Africa and the Middle East. Its diet consists mainly of seeds and grasses.

<i>Jaculus</i> (rodent) Genus of rodents

The genus Jaculus is a member of the Dipodinae subfamily of dipodoid rodents (jerboas). Jaculus species are distributed in desert and semi-arid regions across northern Africa, the Sahara, the Horn of Africa, Arabia, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

The Balikun jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in arid areas of northwestern China and Mongolia. It eats green plants, plant roots, seeds, grasshoppers and beetles.

The Gobi jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in China and Mongolia. Its natural habitats are temperate grassland and temperate desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small five-toed jerboa</span> Species of mammal

The small five-toed jerboa is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and genus Scarturus, that has five digits. They are hopping rodents of the rocky deserts in Asia. They have been found in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. They have long hind feet, short forelimbs, and walk upright. The jerboa body length ranges from 5–15 cm and has a tail ranging from 7–25 cm. They have large ears in comparison to their body size and a large tail. The tail assists and serves as support when the jerboa is standing upright. These hopping rodents can reach a speed up to 48 km/h. The forelimbs of the jerboa serve as a pair of hands for feeding, grooming, etc. The male jerboa is usually larger in size and weight in comparison to the female jerboa. The pelt of the jerboa is either silky or velvety in texture and light in color, the coloration helps camouflage into surroundings to avoid predators. "Its coloration varies from sandy or buff to dark russet or black with pale under parts and a white strip on the hip”.

The Euphrates jerboa is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and genus Scarturus. They are characteristically known as hopping rodents. They have been found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and also occurs very marginally in southeastern Turkey. The Euphrates jerboa's natural habitats are semi-deserts, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and hot deserts.

Hotson's jerboa or the Iranian jerboa, is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great jerboa</span> Species of mammal

The great jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. It mainly lives in deserts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern three-toed jerboa</span> Species of rodent

The northern three-toed jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is the only extant species within the genus Dipus. It ranges across Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, China and Mongolia. A common species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature rates it as being of "least concern".

Blanford's jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is native to Central Asia and is found in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Kozlov's pygmy jerboa is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in northwestern China and southern and eastern Mongolia. Its natural habitat is temperate desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baluchistan pygmy jerboa</span> Species of rodent

The Baluchistan pygmy jerboa or dwarf three-toed jerboa, is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is the only species in the genus Salpingotulus. Adults average only 4.3 cm (1.7 in) in head and body length, with the tail averaging 8 cm (3.1 in). Adult females weigh 3.2 g (0.11 oz). It is currently considered to be endemic to Pakistan. In the 1999 Guinness Book of Records, it was listed as tied for the smallest rodent in the world with the northern pygmy mouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipodinae</span> Subfamily of rodents

Dipodinae is a subfamily of Dipodidae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Aulagnier, S. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Jaculus orientalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T10913A115518664. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T10913A22201033.en . Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  2. ↑ Holden, M.E.; Musser, G.G. (2005). "Family Dipodidae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 884. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. 1 2 Wiest, Whitney. "Jaculus orientalis: Greater Egyptian jerboa". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
  4. ↑ Zafrir Rinat, "Have You Met the Negev's 'Jumping Rat?' Too Late, It Doesn't Live Here Anymore", Haaretz, 12.10.2016
  5. 1 2 Hoath, Richard (2009). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt. American University in Cairo Press. pp. 195–197. ISBN   978-977-416-254-1.
  6. ↑ Chatin A. (1891). "Contribution à l'histoire naturelle de la truffe: II Terfas ou truffes d'Afrique et d'Arabie, genres Terfezia et Tirmania". Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France. 38: 54–64. doi:10.1080/00378941.1891.10828525.
  7. 1 2 Eilam, David; Shefer, Gabi (1997). "The developmental order of bipedal locomotion in the jerboa (Jaculus orientalis): Pivoting, creeping, quadrupedalism, and bipedalism". Developmental Psychobiology. 31 (2): 137–142. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1098-2302(199709)31:2<137::AID-DEV6>3.0.CO;2-L. PMID   9298639.
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