A study of intraspecies variations of Baluchistan Gerbil, Gerbillus nanus Blanford, 1875 (Rodentia: Muridae) in Hormozgan Province, Iran

In the present study three populations of Baluchistan Gerbil (Gerbillus nanus) from different localities of Hormozgan Province (Geno Protected Area, Minab County and Qeshm Island) were compared according to morphometrical and ecological characters. 41 specimens of adult G. nanus were collected by live traps (Sherman traps, Havahart Traps and Locally made traps) from the above-mentioned regions. Although we conducted field studies from 0 height to 2300 meters in these regions, specimens of the G. nanus were caught only in height 700>. According to our field observations, this species is nocturnal. At first, five external, 15 cranial- dental characters were measured and then ratios of measured characters to head and body length were calculated. The normality of data was computed by Kolmogorov- Smironov test. Descriptive statistics were calculated for characters and ratios. The results showed that average of 12 characters from 20 characters in Geno specimens was greater than the other two. Also, the average of 18 ratios from 21 ratios in Qeshm specimens was greater than that the other two. But, the average of 14 characters in Qeshm specimens was lower than those two others. Significance was tested using one-way ANOVA followed by a Duncan test. The results showed that there were significant differences in six from 20 characters and 14 from 21 ratios in three regions.