Geographic Range
The natural distribution of fat-tailed gerbils,
Pachyuromys duprasi
, is the northern portion of desert west of the Nile Delta in Egypt. This rodent
also extends into Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria.
- Biogeographic Regions
- palearctic
Habitat
Fat-tailed gerbils are found in sand sheets that are graced with vegetation. They
occur south of the western Mediterranean coastal desert, sometimes in rocky deserts.
Often their habitat is compared to what Ranck (1968) describes as "transitional deserts
which run roughly parallel to the more lush coastal plains". They live in burrows
down to 1 meter in depth. These gerbils are known to occupy burrows of other rodents
as well.
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- desert or dune
Physical Description
Fat-tailed gerbils have fur that is long and fluffy. These gerbils are described
as having a round body with fairly large, oval-shaped eyes and pink ears that are
positioned low on the head. The main color of their fur varies between gray and tan
with dorsal hairs sometimes tipped with black. Coloration of fur varies with subspecies
in different ranges. The hairs of the underside and feet are white. The palms and
soles of their feet are partly haired and their ears are sparsely haired. The tails
of these animals are notable and different from that of other gerbils. The tails
are shorter than their heads and bodies, are thick and club-shaped, and lack brush
hairs. These tails function in storing fat and water. The general health of a specimen
is determined by the thickness of the tail, for if the tail is skinny, it is proposed
that the animal may not be getting enough food and nutrients. The average adult head
and body length is approximately 108 mm; tail 58 mm; foot 23 mm; ear 14 mm; occipitonasal
length 34 mm; and weight 36.5 g.
The cranial characteristics of fat-tailed gerbils include an elongate skull with
enormously inflated auditory bullae. The external auditory meatus is swollen. A
large suprameatal triangle is an excellent identifying characteristic for
P. duprasi
. The meatal lip of fat-tailed gerbils is swollen as well, and an accessory tympanum
is present. The zygomatic process of this rodent is complete but the supraorbital
ridge is noted to be poorly developed.
The teeth of fat-tailed gerbils are comprised of upper incisors, which are grooved
on the anterior surface. Molars are rooted and the first upper and lower molar in
juveniles appear to be tuberculate, becoming laminate in adults. The second upper
and lower molars show no evidence of tubercles. The third molars of this rodent are
simple, lacking folds. The enamel pattern is similar to that of
Meriones crassus
rather than
Gerbillus
.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
Reproduction
The mating system of wild fat-tailed gerbils was not found in the lieterature examined
here. In captivity, the mating ritual of fat-tailed gerbils is particularly unusual.
Apparently, males and females stand on their hind legs and wrestle while making shrieking
noises. This mating ritual is often mistaken for fighting.
The gestation period for
P. duprasi
is between 19 to 22 days. In captivity litters between 3 and 9 young were born during
the months of April though November. Pups are weaned at around 3 to 4 weeks of age.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- fertilization
- viviparous
Young are altricial. At birth, they are blind, naked, and vulnerable. Mothers care
for their offspring, in some type of nest, probably in a burrow, until they are able
to fend for themselves. Fat-tailed gerbil pups are weaned at around 3 to 4 weeks of
age. The role of the male in parental care has not been noted.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
- altricial
-
pre-fertilization
-
protecting
- female
-
protecting
-
pre-hatching/birth
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-weaning/fledging
-
provisioning
- female
-
protecting
- female
-
provisioning
-
pre-independence
-
protecting
- female
-
protecting
Lifespan/Longevity
Captive specimens of the fat-tailed gerbil have a life span between 5 and 7 years.
It is likely that wild individuals so not live so long. The age of
P. duprasi
may be determined by how worn the molars are and the closing of the skull sutures.
Behavior
Fat-tailed gerbils are the most docile of Egyptian rodents. When captured, these
animals give little effort to escape and rarely bite. However, with other members
of their species, they can be aggressive and sometimes cannibalistic. Females have
been known to eat their young. In captivity, owners have noted that when they fight,
they bite each other's tails, often forming scars. Fat-tailed gerbils are nocturnal.
In the wild, they most often become active at dusk, although individuals are active
intermittently all day and night. Owners of captive animals claim they are active
for very short periods time in between longer periods of sleep. They appear to be
social and are found in colonies, but
can
be solitary as well.
Home Range
The size of home ranges of these animals was not found.
Communication and Perception
The males of
P. duprasi
have scent glands on their stomachs to mark territories. Tactile and visual communication
are important, especially during mating, when a form of sparring occurs between males
and females. Vocalizations are also involved.
- Other Communication Modes
- scent marks
- Perception Channels
- visual
- tactile
- acoustic
- vibrations
- chemical
Food Habits
Fat-tailed gerbils are mostly insectivorous. In the wild, researchers have also observed
these animals feeding on plants of
Anabasis articulata
and
Artemisia monosperma
. In captivity, these rodents are fed meal worms, crickets, beetles, grain, various
vegetables, Gerbil Mix, and even chopped meat.
- Animal Foods
- insects
- terrestrial worms
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- seeds, grains, and nuts
Predation
Predation upon P. duprasi has not been well documented. An anti-predator adaptation may be the fossorial behavior of this species. Also, this rodent's light-colored fur may act as a camouflage mechanism with the desert soil color.
- Anti-predator Adaptations
- cryptic
Ecosystem Roles
There was no information found that was published on the role of P. duprasi in the ecosystem. However, since these animals are fossorial, they may act as aerators for the desert soil. Fat-tailed gerbils most likely serve as a prey species for birds. They probably impact insect and plant populations upon which they prey.
- Ecosystem Impact
- soil aeration
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Fat-tailed gerbils are an increasingly popular house pet for humans. They are docile,
easy to care for, and they tend to get along well with other gerbils. People that
own fat-tailed gerbils as pets claim that they are very cute and fun to play with.
- Positive Impacts
- pet trade
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There was no information found on the adverse affects of P. duprasi on humans. However, escaped captive fat-tailed gerbils may become established in new areas and compete with native wildlife. Fat-tailed gerbils, similar to other species of rodents, may serve as disease vectors. This gerbil may also pose a "threat" to humans, for they occasionally bite, although it is difficult to imagine such a small animal inflicting much damage through a bite.
- Negative Impacts
-
injures humans
- bites or stings
- carries human disease
- causes or carries domestic animal disease
Conservation Status
Fat-tailed gerbils are not listed by IUCN or CITES.
Other Comments
Most information is based on the subspecies found in Egypt, P. d. natronensis .
Additional Links
Contributors
Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Sheunna Barker (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
- Palearctic
-
living in the northern part of the Old World. In otherwords, Europe and Asia and northern Africa.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- desert or dunes
-
in deserts low (less than 30 cm per year) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity. Vegetation is typically sparse, though spectacular blooms may occur following rain. Deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate. In dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. This is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants. In dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil. Salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots.
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- viviparous
-
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- altricial
-
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
- fossorial
-
Referring to a burrowing life-style or behavior, specialized for digging or burrowing.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- crepuscular
-
active at dawn and dusk
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- scent marks
-
communicates by producing scents from special gland(s) and placing them on a surface whether others can smell or taste them
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- vibrations
-
movements of a hard surface that are produced by animals as signals to others
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- cryptic
-
having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.
- soil aeration
-
digs and breaks up soil so air and water can get in
- pet trade
-
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
- causes or carries domestic animal disease
-
either directly causes, or indirectly transmits, a disease to a domestic animal
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- granivore
-
an animal that mainly eats seeds
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Barker, J. 2003. "Fat-tailed Gerbil" (On-line). National Gerbil Society. Accessed June 21, 2004 at http://www.gerbils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gerbils/duprasi.htm .
Flower, S. 1932. Notes on the Recent Mammals of Egypt. Proc. Zool. Society : 368-450.
Helmy, I., D. Osborn. 1980. Fieldiana Zoology: The Contemporary Land Mammals of Egypt (Including Sinai) . Chicago, Illinois: Field Museum of Natural History.
Ranck, G. 1968. The Rodents of Libya: taxonomy, ecology, and zoogeographical relationships. Nat. Mus. Bull. : 157.
Stead, L. 1996. "Duprasi or Fat-Tailed Gerbils" (On-line ). Accessed 02 December 2002 at http://www.webcom.com/~lstead/rodents/duprasi.html .