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Darvish Jamshid

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 203-214

    Khajeh Asghar, Darvish Jamshid & Razmi Gholam Reza
    A contribution on rodents fauna of the Jaz Murian depression, southeast Iran

    ABSTRACT
    The Jaz Murian depression in the southeast of Iran bounded by deserts and mountains is a special corridor for penetration of Arabian and Indian fauna. The region demonstrates harsh desert climate. This study was designed to reveal rodent diversity of the region in the light of geographic features. Totally, 127 specimens belonging to 5 families and 14 genera and 15 species were captured using live-traps and hand-net. As a result, the depression enjoys Oriental and Ethiopian elements (Acomys dimidiatus Cretzschemar, 1826, Gerbillus nanus Blanford, 1875 and Meriones libycus Lichtenstein, 1823) which could pass Arabian deserts penetrating Iran from northern shores of Persian Gulf. Also, the region is a penetration route for Oriental species such as Tatera indica Hardwicke, 1807, Golunda ellioti Gray, 1837, Meriones hurrianae (Jerdon, 1867) and Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758. The Jaz Murian depression is considered as the southernmost boundary of distributional range of Apodemus witherbyi Thomas, 1902 in the world. The Jaz Murian depression is supposed as a cross road between Palaearctic, Ethiopian and Oriental realms.