Riggenbach's Gerbil

Tarabul's gerbil is a small mouse like rodent with a long tail which ends in a tuft. It has tawny fur on the dorsal surface and white fur on its ventral surface which is clearly demarcated. The ears are plain with no black tips a white spot just behind them and the soles of its feet bear hair. The sympatric occidental gerbil Gerbillus occiduus has ears with black tips and no spot behind them. The head and body length averages 102.9 mm (4.05 in) and the tail length averages 148.4 mm (5.84 in).

Tarabul's gerbil is found from northern Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara and Morocco east to Tibesti Mountains of Chad in the south and to Cyrenaica in eastern Libya in the north. The recently noted extension of its range into northern Senegal may be an indicator of increased desertification.