The genus Allactaga contains the four and five-toed jerboas of Asia.

Characteristics

These are hopping rodents of desert and semi-arid regions with long ears, tails and feet. All members of the genus have five toes except for a single species, the Four-toed Jerboa, Allactaga tetradactyla of Northern Africa, which has four. Members of this genus can jump distances of greater than one meter.

They are usually nocturnal and members of the genus have relatively large eyes. Diet varies by species, with some feeding almost exclusively on vegetation and others being insectivorous. Captured specimens have lived over four years.

Species

Genus Allactaga

• incertae sedis
  • Allactaga toussi
• Subgenus Allactaga
  • Small Five-toed Jerboa, Allactaga elater
  • Iranian Jerboa, Allactaga firouzi
  • Hotson's Jerboa, Allactaga hotsoni
  • Great Jerboa, Allactaga major
  • Severtzov's Jerboa, Allactaga severtzovi
  • Vinogradov's Jerboa, Allactaga vinogradovi
• Subgenus Orientallactaga
  • Balikun Jerboa, Allactaga balikunica
  • Gobi Jerboa, Allactaga bullata
  • Mongolian Five-toed Jerboa, Allactaga sibirica
• Subgenus Paralactaga
  • Euphrates Jerboa, Allactaga euphratica
  • Williams's Jerboa, Allactaga williamsi
• Subgenus Scarturus
  • Four-toed Jerboa, Allactaga tetradactyla

References

• Duff, A. and A. Lawson. 2004. Mammals of the World A Checklist. New Haven, Yale University Press.
• Holden, M. E. and G. G. Musser. 2005. Family Dipodidae. Pp. 871-893 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
• Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.

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