Salpingotus crassicauda is found in northwest China, Southwest Mongolia, and the Soviet Union.

Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native )

Head and body range in length from 41 to 47 mm. The tail is more than double the length of the body, ranging in length from 93 to 126 mm. The tail is swollen at the proximal end, due to fat storage, and it is covered with short hairs that become longer toward the terminal end. The metatarsals are extended and range from 20 to 25 mm. There are only three toes present in each hind foot of S. crassicauda. It has tufts of hair beneath each toe, which aid in gripping when running on soft sand. S. crassicauda has external ears that are small and round (MacDonald 1984, Nowak 1991, Ognev 1963).

• Terrestrial

Salpingotus crassicauda can be found in steppes and deserts. They dig burrows in sand dunes. Their burrows can extend up to three meters in length (Holden 1993, Nowak 1991).

Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune

Salpingotus crassicauda feeds on insects and vegetable matter. However, in captivity one Salpingotus ate only invertebrates. S. crassicauda may also eat seeds, like many other jerboas (Nowak 1991, MacDonald 1984).

Salpingotus crassicauda females have eight teats and have an average litter of 2.7 young. Sexual maturity is not reached in the first year. The reproductive behavior is unknown. Other northern species of jerboas, however, breed shortly after emerging from hibernation. These jerboas are thought to have two litters per season consisting of two to six young (Nowak 1991, MacDonald 1984, Ognev 1963).

Salpingotus crassicauda is regarded as rare in both China and the Soviet Union (Nowak 1991).

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: data deficient

Jerboas in general may be a pest to melon growers, however, there were no reports of this behavior specifically for this species (MacDonald 1984).