Distinctive full-tailed rodent with diag­nostic black face mask. Upper parts rusty-brown to gray along flanks. Underparts clearly delineated and whitish. Inside of legs whitish. Out­side of forelegs darker than flanks. Feet white. Head boldly marked. Crown orange-brown extending down snout. Black mask through large eyes extending partly down side of snout and back to the base of the ear. Mask to underside of head and throat white. Ears rather large, sparsely haired, and with white patch above black of mask at opening. Tail long, almost as long as head and body, with first-quarter short-haired and grayish brown, and the rest of the tail bushy and black. Tip white, at least in some individuals, especially in Sinai, and underside white to grayish. Vocal with wide range of whistles and growls, and a soft call likened to snoring.