Taxonomic status of the genus Spermophilus (Mammalia : Rodentia) in Turkey and Iran with description of a new species

Oezkurt S. O., Soezen M., Yigit N., Kandemir İ., Colak R., Gharkheloo M. M., ...More

ZOOTAXA, no.1529, pp.1-15, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.11646/zootaxa.1529.1.1
  • Journal Name: ZOOTAXA
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-15
  • Keywords: Spermophilus citellus, Spermophilus xanthoprymnus, Spermophilus fulvus, Spermophilus torosensis sp nov., sousliks, karyology, morphology, nonmetric characters, Turkey, Iran, SCIURIDAE, POPULATIONS, KARYOTYPES
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We report a new species of Spermophilus ( Rodentia: Sciuridae), here designated as S. torosensis sp. nov., distributed in the Taurus Mountains in southern Anatolia, Turkey. A total of 161 specimens of the genus Spermophilus from Turkey and Iran were analyzed for their morphological, morphometric, and karyological characteristics. Uni- and multi-variate statistical analyses of morphologic data for 95 adult specimens yielded 4 distinct groups. Taxonomic evaluations classified the specimens into 4 species Spermophilus citellus, S. xanthopymnus, S. fulvus and S. torosensis sp. nov. Morphometrics, coat coloration, a brush-shaped tail, and a NFa value of 72 are diagnostic characters that distinguish S. torosensis sp. nov. from the other species. In Turkey, S. torosensis sp. nov. was found in 6 locations. The karyotype of S. fulvus also is described for the first time as 2n= 36, NFa= 70 and NFa= 66; new karyotypic data is reported for S. xanthoprymnus from Iran and Turkey.