Rata de Shaw

discussion

Discussion: Subgenus Pallasiomys. A distinctive species that ranges mostly north of M. libycus but is sympatric with it in several regions (Lay and Nadler, 1969; Zaime and Pascal, 1988). The distribution maps of Algerian (Kowalski and Rzebik-Kowalska, 1991) and Egyptian (Osborn and Helmy, 1980) ranges of M. shawi and M. libycus illustrate their geographic relationships – mostly parapatric, but sympatric near the coast. Meriones shawi and M. libycus are often confused in museum collections and published reports (see the reviews by Lay and Nadler, 1969, and Pavlinov et al., 1990). The taxon grandis has traditionally been included in M. shawi but Pavlinov et al. (1990) reviewed grandis as a species and Pavlinov (2000) recorded the morphological traits distinguishing M. grandis from M. shawi; he also documented broad overlap between the two species in E Morocco, N Algeria, and Tunisia (see account of M. grandis).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

Distribution: Mediterranean littoral from E Morocco through N Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt to N Sinai, never found more than about 150 mi (240 km) inland (Lay and Nadler, 1969, and references therein; Pavlinov, 2000).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

discussion

COMMENTS: Subgenus Pallasiomys. A distinctive species that ranges mostly north of M. libycus but is sympatric with it in several regions (Lay and Nadler, 1969; Zaime and Pascal, 1988). The distribution maps of Algerian M. shawi and M. libycus in Kowalski and Rzebik-Kowalska (1991) illustrate the geographic relationships of these species — mostly parapatric, but sympatric near the coast. M. shawi and M. libycus are often confused in museum collections and published reports (see the review by Lay and Nadler, 1969).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae

distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Mediterranean littoral from Morocco to N Sinai, never found more than about 150 mi inland (Lay and Nadler, 1969, and references therein).

Order Rodentia - Family Muridae