| Great gerbil | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Genus: | Rhombomys Wagner, 1841 |
| Species: | R. opimus |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhombomys opimus (Lichtenstein, 1823) | |
Thegreat gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) is a largerodent found throughout much ofCentral Asia.
The largest of the gerbils, great gerbils have a head and body length of 15–20 cm (6–8 in). Theirskulls are distinctive by having two grooves in eachincisor. They have large front claws used for burrowing.[2]
Great gerbils are found in arid habitats, predominantly in sandy or claydeserts. They are found inTurkmenistan,Kazakhstan,Mongolia,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan, andIran.[1]
The great gerbil is preyed on byfoxes,owls,kites,wildcats,weasels,vultures, andcobras.
Great gerbils live in family groups and occupy one burrow per family.[3] Their burrows can be fairly extensive with separate chambers for nests and food storage. Great gerbils spend considerably more time in the burrows during winter, but do nothibernate. They are predominantlydiurnal. Food consists mostly of vegetable matter.[2]
The animals are often colonial.Longevity is 2–4 years. Burrow system complexes have a distinctive region of cleared soil and can be seen and mapped from aerial photos and satellite images.[4] Inhabited great gerbil burrows can be distinguished from abandoned burrows using satellite images.[5]
Great gerbils are known reservoirs ofYersinia pestis, the bacterium that causesplague, and ofLeishmania major, the causative agent ofzoonoticcutaneous leishmaniasis. They are also known ascroppests and have been implicated in exacerbatingerosion.
Media related toRhombomys opimus at Wikimedia Commons
