Gerbillinae is one of the subfamilies of the

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

family Muridae and includes the gerbils, jirds, and sand rats. Once known as desert rats, the subfamily includes about 110 species of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

n, and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

n rodents, including sand rats and

jird ''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 '' Pach ...

s, all of which are adapted to arid habitats. Most are primarily active during the day, making them diurnal (but some species, including the common household pet, exhibit crepuscular behavior), and almost all are

omnivorous An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...

. The gerbil got its name as a diminutive form of "

jerboa Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts. When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on b ...

," an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar

ecological niche In ecology, a niche is the match of a species to a specific environmental condition. Three variants of ecological niche are described by It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors (for ...

. Gerbils are typically between long, including the tail, which makes up about half of their total length. One species, the

great gerbil The great gerbil (''Rhombomys opimus'') is a large rodent found throughout much of Central Asia. Description The largest of the gerbils, great gerbils have a head and body length of . Their skulls are distinctive by having two grooves in each i ...

(''Rhombomys opimus''), originally native to

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

, can grow to more than . The average adult gerbil weighs about . One species, the Mongolian gerbil ('' Meriones unguiculatus''), also known as the ''clawed jird'', is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular small house pet. It is also used in some scientific research.

Classification

SUBFAMILY GERBILLINAE *Tribe Ammodillini **Genus '' Ammodillus'' *** Ammodile, ''Ammodillus imbellis'' *Tribe Desmodilliscini **Genus '' Desmodilliscus'' ***

Pouched gerbil The pouched gerbil (''Desmodilliscus braueri'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Desmodilliscus'' and the subtribe Desmodilliscina. It is found across western Africa from Mauritania east to Sud ...

, ''Desmodilliscus braueri'' **Genus '' Pachyuromys'' ***

Fat-tailed gerbil The fat-tailed gerbil (''Pachyuromys duprasi''), also called the duprasi gerbil or doop, is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae. It is the only member of the genus ''Pachyuromys''. These rodents are the most docile species of the ge ...

, ''Pachyuromys duprasi'' *Tribe Gerbillini **Subtribe Gerbillina ***Genus ''

Dipodillus ''Dipodillus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae. It is sometimes classified as a subgenus of the genus Gerbillus. It contains the following species: * Botta's gerbil (''Dipodillus bottai'') * North African gerbil (''Dipodillus campest ...

'' **** Botta's gerbil, ''Dipodillus bottai'' **** North African gerbil, ''Dipodillus campestris'' **** Wagner's gerbil, ''Dipodillus dasyurus'' **** Harwood's gerbil, ''Dipodillus harwoodi'' **** James's gerbil, ''Dipodillus jamesi'' **** Lowe's gerbil, ''Dipodillus lowei'' **** Mackilligin's gerbil, ''Dipodillus mackilligini'' **** Greater short-tailed gerbil, ''Dipodillus maghrebi'' **** Rupicolous gerbil, ''Dipodillus rupicola'' **** Lesser short-tailed gerbil, ''Dipodillus simoni'' **** Somalian gerbil, ''Dipodillus somalicus'' **** Khartoum gerbil, ''Dipodillus stigmonyx'' **** Kerkennah Islands gerbil, ''Dipodillus zakariai'' ***Genus ''

Gerbillus ''Gerbillus'' is a genus that contains most common and the most diverse gerbils. In 2010, after morphological and molecular studies '' Dipodillus'' was ranged as a subgenus of ''Gerbillus'', however some taxonomic authorities continue to separate ...

'' ****Subgenus '' Hendecapleura'' ***** Pleasant gerbil, ''Gerbillus amoenus'' ***** Brockman's gerbil, ''Gerbillus brockmani'' ***** Black-tufted gerbil, ''Gerbillus famulus'' ***** Algerian gerbil, ''Gerbillus garamantis'' ***** Grobben's gerbil, ''Gerbillus grobbeni'' ***** Pygmy gerbil, ''Gerbillus henleyi'' ***** Mauritanian gerbil, ''Gerbillus mauritaniae'' (sometimes considered a separate genus ''Monodia'') ***** Harrison's gerbil, ''Gerbillus mesopotamiae'' ***** Darfur gerbil, ''Gerbillus muriculus'' ***** Balochistan gerbil, ''Gerbillus nanus'' ***** Large Aden gerbil, ''Gerbillus poecilops'' ***** Principal gerbil, ''Gerbillus principulus'' ***** Least gerbil, ''Gerbillus pusillus'' ***** Sand gerbil, ''Gerbillus syrticus'' ***** Waters's gerbil, ''Gerbillus watersi'' ****Subgenus ''

'' ***** Berbera gerbil, ''Gerbillus acticola'' ***** Agag gerbil, ''Gerbillus agag'' ***** Anderson's gerbil, ''Gerbillus andersoni'' ***** Swarthy gerbil, ''Gerbillus aquilus'' ***** Burton's gerbil, ''Gerbillus burtoni'' ***** Cheesman's gerbil, ''Gerbillus cheesmani'' ***** Dongola gerbil, ''Gerbillus dongolanus'' ***** Somalia gerbil, ''Gerbillus dunni'' ***** Flower's gerbil, ''Gerbillus floweri'' ***** Lesser Egyptian gerbil, ''Gerbillus gerbillus'' *****

Indian hairy-footed gerbil The Indian hairy-footed gerbil (''Gerbillus gleadowi'') is a species of rodent found mainly in Pakistan and northwestern India. They inhabit dry, sandy, and rocky country with sparse vegetation. Their burrows are often closed with sand. They fee ...

, ''Gerbillus gleadowi'' ***** Western gerbil, ''Gergbillus hesperinus'' ***** Hoogstraal's gerbil, ''Gerbillus hoogstraali'' ***** Lataste's gerbil, ''Gerbillus latastei'' ***** Sudan gerbil, ''Gerbillus nancillus'' ***** Nigerian gerbil, ''Gerbillus nigeriae'' ***** Occidental gerbil, ''Gerbillus occiduus'' ***** Pale gerbil, ''Gerbillus perpallidus'' ***** Cushioned gerbil, ''Gerbillus pulvinatus'' *****

Greater Egyptian gerbil The greater Egyptian gerbil (''Gerbillus pyramidum'') is a small rodent in the family Muridae. It is native to northern Africa where it inhabits sandy deserts, semi-arid areas and oases. It is a common species, and the International Union for Co ...

, ''Gerbillus pyramidum'' ***** Rosalinda gerbil, ''Gerbillus rosalinda'' ***** Tarabul's gerbil, ''Gerbillus tarabuli'' ***Genus '' Microdillus'' ****

Somali pygmy gerbil The Somali pygmy gerbil (''Microdillus peeli'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Microdillus''. It is found only in Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland Tro ...

, ''Microdillus peeli'' **Subtribe Rhombomyina ***Genus '' Brachiones'' **** Przewalski's gerbil, ''Brachiones przewalskii'' ***Genus '' Meriones'' ****Subgenus '' Meriones'' *****

Tamarisk jird The tamarisk jird or tamarisk gerbil (''Meriones tamariscinus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It prefers habitats with grass or shrub ...

, ''Meriones tamariscinus'' ****Subgenus '' Parameriones'' *****

Persian jird The Persian jird (''Meriones persicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркмениста ...

, ''Meriones persicus'' ***** King jird, ''Meriones rex'' ****Subgenus '' Pallasiomys'' ***** Arabian jird, ''Meriones arimalius'' *****

Cheng's jird Cheng's jird (''Meriones chengi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It was named in honour of the Chinese zoologist Professor Tso-hsin Cheng. It is found only in the Turpan Depression of eastern Xinjiang, China. References

...

, ''Meriones chengi'' *****

Sundevall's jird Sundevall's jird (''Meriones crassus'') is a species of rodent in the family of Muridae. It is found in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan, Morocco, Niger, Palestine, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, ...

, ''Meriones crassus'' ***** Dahl's jird, ''Meriones dahli'' *****

Moroccan jird The Moroccan jird (''Meriones grandis'') is a species of rodent from the family Muridae. The species was first described by Ángel Cabrera in 1907. It is endemic to Morocco, northern Algeria, and Tunisia. It had been included as part of Shaw's j ...

, ''Meriones grandis'' ***** Libyan jird, ''Meriones libycus'' ***** Midday jird, ''Meriones meridianus'' ***** Buxton's jird, ''Meriones sacramenti'' *****

Shaw's jird Shaw's jird (''Meriones shawi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its natural habitats are arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens. They typically live 1–2 years. Sh ...

, ''Meriones shawi'' *****

Tristram's jird Tristram's jird (''Meriones tristrami'') is a species of rodent that lives in the Middle East. It is named after the Reverend Henry Baker Tristram who collected the first specimens. It is up to long, and lives in burrows in steppes and semi-dese ...

, ''Meriones tristrami'' ***** Mongolian jird (Mongolian Gerbil), ''Meriones unguiculatus'' ***** Vinogradov's jird, ''Meriones vinogradovi'' ***** Zarudny's jird, ''Meriones zarudnyi'' ****Subgenus ''

Cheliones The Indian desert jird or Indian desert gerbil (''Meriones hurrianae'') is a species of jird found mainly in the Thar Desert in India. Jirds are closely related to Gerbillus, gerbils. Distribution The Indian desert jird is found in southeaster ...

'' ***** Indian desert jird, ''Meriones hurrianae'' ***Genus '' Psammomys'' **** Fat sand rat, ''Psammomys obesus'' **** Thin sand rat, ''Psammomys vexillaris'' ***Genus '' Rhombomys'' ****

Great gerbil The great gerbil (''Rhombomys opimus'') is a large rodent found throughout much of Central Asia. Description The largest of the gerbils, great gerbils have a head and body length of . Their skulls are distinctive by having two grooves in each i ...

, ''Rhombomys opimus'' **''

Incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

'' ***Genus ''

Sekeetamys The bushy-tailed jird or bushy-tailed dipodil (''Sekeetamys calurus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Sekeetamys''. It is found in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Its natural ha ...

'' ****

Bushy-tailed jird The bushy-tailed jird or bushy-tailed dipodil (''Sekeetamys calurus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Sekeetamys''. It is found in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Its natural ha ...

, ''Sekeetamys calurus'' *Tribe Gerbillurini **Genus '' Desmodillus'' ***

Cape short-eared gerbil The Cape short-eared gerbil (''Desmodillus auricularis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Desmodillus''. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are hot ...

, ''Desmodillus auricularis'' **Genus ''

Gerbilliscus ''Gerbilliscus'' is a genus of rodent in the subfamily Gerbillinae (gerbils) of the family Muridae. It contains the following species, all native to Africa: * Cape gerbil (''Gerbilliscus afra'') * Boehm's gerbil (''Gerbilliscus boehmi'') * Highv ...

'' *** Cape gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus afra'' *** Boehm's gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus boehmi'' *** Highveld gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus brantsii'' *** Guinean gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus guineae'' *** Gorongoza gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus inclusus'' *** Kemp's gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus kempi'' *** Bushveld gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus leucogaster'' *** Black-tailed gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus nigricaudus'' *** Phillips's gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus phillipsi'' *** Fringe-tailed gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus robustus'' *** Savanna gerbil, ''Gerbilliscus validus'' **Genus ''

Gerbillurus ''Gerbillurus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae. It contains the following species: * Hairy-footed gerbil (''Gerbillurus paeba'') * Namib brush-tailed gerbil (''Gerbillurus setzeri'') * Dune hairy-footed gerbil (''Gerbillurus tytonis'' ...

'' *** Hairy-footed gerbil, ''Gerbillurus paeba'' *** Namib brush-tailed gerbil, ''Gerbillurus setzeri'' *** Dune hairy-footed gerbil, ''Gerbillurus tytonis'' *** Bushy-tailed hairy-footed gerbil, ''Gerbillurus vallinus'' **Genus '' Tatera'' ***

Indian gerbil The Indian gerbil (''Tatera indica'') also known as antelope rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in southern Asia from Syria to Bangladesh. It is the only species in the genus ''Tatera''. Members of the genus ''Gerb ...

, ''Tatera indica'' *Tribe Taterillini **Genus ''

Taterillus ''Taterillus'' is a genus of rodents. The species within this genus can only be reliably distinguished on the basis of karyotype, and not by external appearance. The genus contains the following species: * Robbins's tateril (''Taterillus arenar ...

'' *** Robbins's tateril, ''Taterillus arenarius'' *** Congo gerbil, ''Taterillus congicus'' *** Emin's gerbil, ''Taterillus emini'' *** Gracile tateril, ''Taterillus gracilis'' *** Harrington's gerbil, ''Taterillus harringtoni'' *** Lake Chad gerbil, ''Taterillus lacustris'' *** Petter's gerbil, ''Taterillus petteri'' *** Senegal gerbil, ''Taterillus pygargus'' *** Tranieri's tateril, ''Taterillus tranieri''

References

Citations

Resources

CMDC C111 "Normative Biology Diseases Gerbils"
��Division of Comparative Medicine, Office of Research & Innovation, University of South Florida * McKenna, M. C. and S. K. Bell. 1997. ''Classification of Mammals above the Species Level''. Columbia University Press, New York. * Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 1993. "Family Muridae". pp. 501–755 in ''Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference''. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. * Nowak, R. M. 1999. ''Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2''. Johns Hopkins University Press, London. * Pavlinov, I. Ya., Yu. A. Dubrovskiy, O. L. Rossolimo, E. G. Potapova. 1990. ''Gerbils of the World''. Nauka, Moscow. {{Authority control Mammal subfamilies Taxa named by John Edward Gray