Table 31.1 A comparison of sociality, vegetative cover, feeding adaptations, pattern of activity, mode of locomotion and body mass
of genera in three families of semifossorial desert rodents, Heteromyidae, Muridae and Dipodidae
Habitat Feeding Loco- Body
Genera Sociality openness adaptation Activity motion mass (g) Reference
Heteromyidae
Microdipodops Sol. O, I G N B 10 –12 O’Farrell and Blaustein 1974a,b; Genoways and
Brown 1993
Dipodomys Sol. O, I G, GF N B 27–178 Eisenberg 1963a, 1967; Genoways and Brown
1993; Randall 1993
Chaetodipus Sol. O, I G N B 12 – 40 Eisenberg 1963a, 1967; Hoffmeister, 1986;
Genoways and Brown 1993; Nowak 1999;
Shenbrot et al. 1999
Perognathus Sol. O, I G N B 8 –18 Eisenberg 1963a, 1967; Genoways and Brown
1993; Nowak 1999; Shenbrot et al. 1999
Muridae, Gerbillinae
Gerbillus Sol., I O, I G, GF, GI N Q 10 –50 Roberts 1977; Osborn and Hemly, 1980; Griffin
1990; Skinner and Smither 1990; Pavlinov et al.
1990; Harrison and Bate, 1991; Nowak 1999;
Shenbrot 1999; Gromov 2000
Gerbillurusa Sol., I O, I G, GF N Q 22 – 48 Skinner and Smithers 1990; Pavlinov et al. 1990;
Shenbrot et al. 1999
Merionesb Sol., I, O, I, C G, GF, F N, ND, D Q 40 –250 Naumov and Lobachev 1975; Roberts 1977;
Soc. Sludsky et al. 1978; Osborn and Hemly 1980;
Eigelis 1980; Prakash 1981; Harrison and Bates
1991; Pavlinov et al. 1990; Gromov et al. 1996;
Gromov 2000; Shenbrot et al. 1999
Taterac I, Soc. I, C O N Q 90 –150 Prakash 1975; Roberts 1977; Pavlinov et al. 1990
Psammomys Sol. O, I, C F D Q 200 Daly and Daly 1975a; Osborn and Helmy 1980;
Gromov 2000; Tchabovsky et al. 2001
Rhombomys Soc. O, I F D Q 200 Kutcheruk et al. 1972; Naumov and Lobachev
1975; Goltzman et al. 1977; Dubrovsky 1978;
Pavlinov et al. 1990; Gromov 2000
Dipodidae
Euchoreutes Sol. O I N B 33 Ma et al. 1987; Sokolov et al. 1996; Rogovin et al.
1987
Cardiocraniu Sol. O G N B 12 Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al. 1995; Rogovin et al.
1987; Sludsky et al. 1977; Sokolov et al. 1996;
Rogovin 1999
Salpingotus Sol. O, I, C G, GI N B 12 –20 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995 ; Sokolov et al. 1996; Rogovin 1999
Paradipus Sol. O F N B 120 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995; Rogovin 1999
Stylodipus Sol. O, I GF N B 60 – 80 Sludsky et al. 1977; Shenbrot et al. 1995; Sokolov
et al. 1998; Rogovin 1999
Dipus Sol. O G N B 70 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995; Sokolov et al. 1996; Rogovin 1999
Eremodipus Sol. O, I GF N B 50 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995; Rogovin 1999
Jaculus Sol. O GF N B 65 –130 Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al. 1999; Rogovin 1999
Allactaga Sol. O GF, O N B 50 –50 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995; Rogovin 1999
Allactodipus Sol. O F N B 70 Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al. 1995; Rogovin 1999
Pygeretmus Sol. O F N B 40 – 60 Sludsky et al. 1977; Fokin 1978; Shenbrot et al.
1995; Rogovin 1999
NOTES: Genera with known social species are in boldtype. Sol.solitary; I (in Sociality column)intermediate tolerance; Soc.social; Oopen; I (in Habitat openness
column)intermediate (patchy, coarse-grained); Cclosed (fine-grained, with cover in a lower layer30%); Ggranivore; GFgranivore-folivore; Fprimarily folivore;
I (in Feeding adaptation column)insectivore; GIgranivore-insectivore; Oomnivore; Nnocturnal; Ddiurnal; NDall day active or seasonal change; Bbipedal;
Qaquadrupedal.
Gerbillurusaccording to Skinner and Smithers (1990) and Pavlinov et al. (1990) is mainly a granivore and nocturnal. G. vallinuswas considered by Shenbrot et al. (1999) as
social. In reality it probably forms groups in high population densities.b
Meriones unguiculatusis social, diurnal, and primarily eats green vegetation; M. vinogradoviis social, diurnal, and feeds on seeds and vegetation; M. hurrianaeis intermediate
tolerant or social. c M. libycus,in deserts of Turkestan, has season-dependent daily activity and is intermediate tolerant.
Communal use of burrows is typical for Tatera indica.According to characteristics given by different authors this species can be classified as social or intermediate tolerant
(Pavlinov et al. 1990).