New Record of The Lesser Egyptian gerbil, Gerbillus gerbillus (Olivier, 1801) from the Northern Nile Delta of Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

A new population of Gerbillus gerbillus from the Mediterranean coastal land of the Nile Delta of Egypt (Baltim, Kafr El Shiekh) was discovered after the last record of Anderson in 1902. The genus Gerbillus is one of the important part of the fauna of mammals it is tolerate the desert dryness due to its different habitat structure. Thirteen specimens of G. gerbillus were collected and identified from the study area. Morphological measurements of the body and skulls indicated that the specimens of G. gerbillus from the northern Nile Delta were relatively larger compared to those that inhabit other areas in Egypt and Arabia. The sample measurements and their habitat in the study area are discussed in detail. Large parts of G. gerbillus habitats in the northern Nile Delta have been destroyed as a result of continuous human activities, which may lead to the disappearance of these habitats, including rodent species that play a critical role in the environmental balance.

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