Misplaced Pages

Meriones Temporal range: Early Pleistocene – Recent
Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Subtribe:	Gerbillina
Genus:	Meriones Illiger, 1811
Type species
Mus tamariscinus
Subgenera
Meriones Parameriones Pallasiomys Cheliones

Meriones is a rodent genus that includes the gerbil most commonly kept as a pet, Meriones unguiculatus. The genus contains most animals referred to as jirds, but members of the genera Sekeetamys, Brachiones, and sometimes Pachyuromys are also known as jirds. The distribution of Meriones ranges from northern Africa to Mongolia. Meriones jirds tend to inhabit arid regions including clay desert, sandy desert, and steppe, but are also in slightly wetter regions, and are an agricultural pest.

The genus was named by Illiger in 1811, deriving from the Greek word μηρος (femur). However the name is shared with Greek warrior Meriones in Homer's Iliad which has brought confusion to the meaning of the scientific names, specially for the popular pet Mongolian gerbil.

Description

Adult Meriones species range in size from 9 to 18 cm (head and body), with tails equal to or slightly longer than the rest of the animals. Weights vary widely by species, but is generally between 30 and 200 grams.

They are more rat-like in appearance than many other gerbillines, but are still capable of leaping. They have strong front claws, used to dig their burrows.

Natural history

They construct burrows to aid in food storage, temperature regulation and water retention. The burrows of some species are rather simple, but others can be quite complex. Meriones crassus adults have been reported to have burrows with a combined length of over 30 meters and have 18 entrances. Food is stored in chambers of the burrows. As with other arid adapted rodents, stored food has the capacity to reabsorb moisture given off by the animal during respiration. Jirds can go their entire lives without drinking, relying instead on water generated during metabolism. These rodents feed on roots, seeds, fruits, and insects.

Members of the genus range from being social to rather solitary. Even in solitary species, home ranges often overlap. Females give birth to one to 12 young after a gestation period of about 20–30 days. Sexual maturity is reached after about 9–15 weeks. Longevity in the wild is usually less than six months, but the record for a captive animal is over five years.

Classification

Pavlinov et al. considered the genus to belong to the (sub)tribe Rhombomyina, a group of mostly Asian gerbils. Tong's hypothesized relationship is consistent, and the taxonomy of Pavlinov et al. was adopted by Musser and Carleton. McKenna and Bell (1997) use the subtribe name Merionina (presumably arguing it has priority) for the same group.

In particular, Meriones is thought by Pavlinov et al. (1990) to be sister (cladistically closest) to the genus Brachiones. Tong (1989), however, suggests Psammomys is its sister genus.

The 17 species of Meriones jirds are divided into four subgenera.

Genus Meriones

• Subgenus Meriones
  • Tamarisk jird, Meriones tamariscinus
• Subgenus Parameriones
  • Persian jird, Meriones persicus
  • King jird, Meriones rex
• Subgenus Pallasiomys
  • Arabian jird, Meriones arimalius
  • Cheng's jird, Meriones chengi
  • Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus
  • Dahl's jird, Meriones dahli
  • Moroccan jird, Meriones grandis
  • Libyan jird, Meriones libycus
  • Midday jird, Meriones meridianus
  • Buxton's jird, Meriones sacramenti
  • Shaw's jird, Meriones shawi
  • Tristram's jird, Meriones tristrami
  • Mongolian gerbil or Mongolian jird, Meriones unguiculatus
  • Vinogradov's jird, Meriones vinogradovi
  • Zarudny's jird, Meriones zarudnyi
• Subgenus Cheliones
  • Indian desert jird, Meriones hurrianae

References

1. Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
2. Biodiversity Heritage Library Prodromus systematis mammalium et avium additis terminis zoographicis utriusque classis, eorumque versione germanica, Illiger 1811 (PDF)
3. Google Books My Pet Hamster and Gerbils, LeeAnne Engfer 1997
4. The Guardian Saturday 21 June 2003 In from the cold
5. Corbet, Gordon Barclay; John Edwards Hill (1992). The mammals of the Indomalayan region: a systematic review. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854693-9. McKenna, Malcolm C.; Susan K.Bell (1997). Classification of Mammals above the Species Level. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11012-X.
6. ^ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World, volume 2. London: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9.
7. Pavlinov, I. Ya., Yu. A. Dubrovskiy, O. L. Rossolimo, E. G. Potapova. 1990. Gerbils of the world. Moscow: Nauka. Tong, Haiyan (1989). "Origine et évolution des Gerbillidae (Mammalia, Rodentia) en Afrique du Nord". Mémoires de la Société Géologique de France. Nouvelle Série. 155: 1–120. ISBN 2-85363-050-1.
8. Musser, Guy G.; Michael D. Carleton (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Don E. Wilson; DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.). Mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.

v t e Myomorpha
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia
Myomorpha †Anomalomyidae Anomalomys Anomalospalax Prospalax Dipodoidea †Aksyiromys †Banyuesminthus †Elmymys †Primisminthus †Simiacritomys Dipodidae Allactaginae Allactaga Allactodipus Pygeretmus Scarturus Cardiocraniinae Cardiocranius Salpingotulus Salpingotus Dipodinae Dipodini Dipus Eremodipus Jaculus Stylodipus Paradipodini Paradipus Euchoreutinae Euchoreutes †Simimyidae Nonomys Simimys Sminthidae †Allosminthus †Gobiosminthus †Heosminthus †Heterosminthus †Lophocricetus †Macrognathomys †Megasminthus †Miosicista †Paraminthus †Schaubemys †Shamosminthus Sicista †Sinosminthus †Tyrannomys Zapodidae Eozapus †Javazapus Napaeozapus †Pliozapus †Sinozapus †Sminthozapus Zapus Muroidea †Armintomyidae Armintomys Platacanthomyidae †Neocometes Platacanthomys Typhlomys Spalacidae Myospalacinae Eospalax Myospalax †Pliosiphneus Rhizomyinae †Brachyrhizomys Cannomys Rhizomys Tachyoryctes Spalacinae Nannospalax Spalax Eumuroida See below↓
Eumuroida Calomyscidae Calomyscus Cricetidae †Copemys †Eumys †Wilsoneumys Arvicolinae Arvicolini Arvicola †Mimomys Clethrionomyini †Allophaiomys †Altaiomys Alticola †Borsodia Caryomys Clethrionomys Craseomys Eothenomys †Pitymimomys †Prolagurus Dicrostonychini Dicrostonyx †Predicrostonyx Ellobiusini Bramus Ellobius Lagurini Eolagurus Lagurus Lemmini Lemmus Myopus †Plioctomys Synaptomys †Tobienia Microtini Alexandromys Chionomys Hyperacrius Lasiopodomys Lemmiscus Microtus Mictomicrotus Neodon Proedromys Stenocranius Volemys Ondatrini †Cosomys Neofiber †Ogmodontomys Ondatra Pliophenacomyini Arborimus Phenacomys Pliomyini Dinaromys †Pliomys Cricetinae Allocricetulus †Apocricetus Cansumys †Collimys †Cricetinus †Cricetulodon Cricetulus Cricetus Mesocricetus †Neocricetodon Nothocricetulus Phodopus †Rotundomys †Symmetrodontomys Tscherskia Urocricetus †Democricetodontinae Democricetodon Karydomys Spanocricetodon Neotominae †Protorepomys †Tsaphanomys Baiomyini Baiomys Scotinomys Neotomini Hodomys Nelsonia Neotoma Xenomys Ochrotomyini Ochrotomys Reithrodontomyini Habromys Isthmomys Megadontomys Neotomodon Onychomys Osgoodomys Peromyscus Podomys Reithrodontomys Sigmodontinae †Cordimus Juliomys †Megaoryzomys Oryzomyalia Abrotrichini Abrothrix Chlelemys Geoxus Notiomys Akodontini Akodon Bibimys Blarinomys Brucepattersonius Deltamys Juscelinomys Kunsia Lenoxus Necromys Neomicroxus Oxymycterus Podoxymys Scapteromys Thalpomys Thaptomys Ozyzomyini Aegialomys Amphinectomys Cerradomys Drymoreomys Eremoryzomys Euryoryzomys Handleyomys Holochilus Hylaeamys Lundomys †Megalomys Melanomys Microakodontomys Microryzomys Mindomys Neacomys Nectomys Nephelomys Nesoryzomys Noronhomys Oecomys Oligoryzomys Oreoryzomys Oryzomys Pseudoryzomys Scolomys Sigmodontomys Sooretamys Tanyuromys Transandinomys Zygodontomys Phyllotini Andalgalomys Andinomys Auliscomys Calassomys Calomys Chinchillula Eligmodontia Euneomys Galenomys Graomys †Ichthyurodon Irenomys Loxodontomys Neotomys †Olympicomys Phyllotis Punomys Reithrodon Salinomys †Tafimys Tapecomys Thomasomyini Abrawayaomys Aepeomys Chilomys Delomys Phaenomys Rhagomys Rhipidomys Thomasomys Wilfredomys Wiedomyini †Cholomys Wiedomys Sigmodontalia Ichthyomyini Anotomys Chibchanomys Daptomys Ichthyomys Neusticomys Rheomys Sigmodontini †Prosigmodon Sigmodon Tylomyinae Nyctomyini Nyctomys Ototylomys Tylomyini Otonyctomys Tylomys Muridae Deomyinae Acomys Deomys Lophuromys Uranomys Gerbillinae Ammodillus Desmodilliscini Desmodilliscus Pachyuromys Gerbillini Brachiones Dipodillus Gerbillus Meriones Microdillus Psammomys Rhombomys Sekeetamys Gerbillurini Desmodillus Gerbilliscus Gerbillurus Tatera Taterillini Taterillus Leimacomyinae Leimacomys Lophiomyinae Lophiomys Murinae †Alormys †Coryphomys Hadromys †Hoojieromys †Milimonggamys †Rakasamys †Spelaeomys Vernaya Apodemini Apodemus †Rhagamys Tokudaia Arvicanthini Aethomys Arvicanthis †Canariomys Dasymys Dephomys Desmomys Golunda Grammomys Hybomys Lamottemys Lemniscomys †Malpaisomys Micaelamys Mylomys Oenomys †Parapelomys Pelomys Rhabdomys †Saharamys †Saidomys Stochomys Thallomys Thamnomys Typomys Hapalomyini Hapalomys Hydromyini Anisomys Apomys Archboldomys Baiyankamys Brassomys Chiropodomys Chiruromys Chrotomys Coccymys Conilurus Crossomys Haeromys Hydromys Hyomys Leggadina Leporillus Leptomys Lorentzimys Macruromys Mallomys Mastacomys Melomys Mesembriomys Microhydromys Mirzamys Notomys Parahydromys Paraleptomys Paramelomys Pogonomys Protochromys Pseudohydromys Pseudomys Rhynchomys Solomys Soricomys Uromys Xeromys Zyzomys Malacomyini Malacomys Millardini Cremnomys Diomys Madromys Millardia Pithecheir Pithecheirops Murini Mus Otomyini Myotomys Otomys Parotomys Phloeomyini Batomys Carpomys Crateromys Musseromys Phloeomys Praomyini Chingawaemys Colomys Congomys Heimyscus Hylomyscus Mastomys Montemys Myomyscus Nilopegamys Ochromyscus Praomys Serengetimys Stenocephalemys Zelotomys Rattini Abditomys Anonymomys Bandicota Berylmys Bullimus Bunomys Chiromyscus Crunomys Dacnomys Diplothrix Echiothrix Eropeplus Halmaheramys Hyorhinomys Kadarsanomys Komodomys Lenomys Lenothrix Leopoldamys Limnomys Margaretamys Maxomys Melasmothrix Micromys Nesokia Nesoromys Niviventer Papagomys Palawanomys Paruromys Paucidentomys Paulamys Rattus Saxatilomys Sommeromys Srilankamys Sundamys Taeromys Tarsomys Tateomys Tonkinomys Tryphomys Waiomys Vandeleurini Vandeleuria †Pseudocricetodontinae Adelomyarion Cincamyarion Heterocricetodon Latocricetodon Lignitella Kerosinia Oxynocricetodon Pseudocricetodon Nesomyidae Cricetomyinae Beamys Cricetomys Saccostomus Delanymyinae Delanymys Dendromurinae Dendromus Dendroprionomys Malacothrix Megadendromus Prionomys Steatomys Mystromyinae Mystromys Nesomyinae Brachytarsomys Brachyuromys Eliurus Gymnuromys Hypogeomys Macrotarsomys Monticolomys Nesomys Voalavo Petromyscinae Petromyscus

• Meriones (rodent)
• Rodent genera
• Taxa named by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger