small five-toed jerboa
{{Short description|Species of mammal}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Small five-toed jerboa
| image = Allactaga elater Plzen zoo 02.2011.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Scarturus
| species = elater
| authority = (H. Lichtenstein, 1825)
| synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets=true|Allactaga elater|Dipus elater}}
}}
The small five-toed jerboa (Scarturus elater) is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and genus Scarturus, that has five digits.{{cite web |url=https://www.mammaldiversity.org/explore.html#genus=SCARTURUS&species=elater&id=1001969 |title= Scarturus elater (ASM Mammal Diversity Database #1001969)|author= |date=3 December 2022 |website=Mammal Diversity Database |publisher=American Society of Mammalogists |access-date=13 January 2023 |quote=}} They are hopping rodents of the rocky deserts in Asia. They have been found in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. They have long hind feet, short forelimbs, and walk upright.Lagassé, Paul (2000) "Jerboa." in The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. New York: Columbia UP. The jerboa body length ranges from 5–15 cm and has a tail ranging from 7–25 cm.[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/302672/jerboa "Jerboa (rodent)."] Encyclopædia Britannica. . They have large ears in comparison to their body size and a large tail. The tail assists and serves as support when the jerboa is standing upright.Kirmiz, John P. (1962) Adaptation to Desert Environment; A Study on the Jerboa, Rat and Man. London: Butterworths. p. 17. These hopping rodents can reach a speed up to 48 km/h. The forelimbs of the jerboa serve as a pair of hands for feeding, grooming, etc.Kirmiz, John P. (1962) Adaptation to Desert Environment; A Study on the Jerboa, Rat and Man. London: Butterworths. p. 29. The male jerboa is usually larger in size and weight in comparison to the female jerboa. The pelt of the jerboa is either silky or velvety in texture and light in color,{{Cite journal | doi = 10.2478/v10043-008-0033-9| title = Trends of Specialisation in Rodents: The Five-toed Jerboas, Subfamily Allactaginae (Dipodoidea, Rodentia)| journal = Acta Zoologica Lituanica| volume = 18| issue = 4| pages = 228–239| year = 2008| last1 = Miljutin | first1 = A. }} the coloration helps camouflage into surroundings to avoid predators. "Its coloration varies from sandy or buff to dark russet or black with pale under parts and a white strip on the hip”.
Adaptation to temperature conditions
File:Allactaga elater 2012 Armenian stamp.jpg
Jerboas are adapted to live in the desert, therefore they are called xerocole animals. In hot temperature conditions, they spend most of their day burrowed under sand to avoid the heat.Hearst, Michael et al. (2012) Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of the Earth's Strangest Animals. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. {{ISBN|1452104670}}. Burrowing under the sand, they evade the heat from the sun, minimizing water loss and avoiding dehydration. In cold temperature conditions, the Small five-toed Jerboa are capable of adjusting their body temperature 1–2 °C from the optimal temperature to minimize heat lost.{{Cite journal |author1=Hill, Richard W. |author2=Lay, Douglas M. |author3=Veghte, James H. |name-list-style=amp | year = 1974 | title = Body surface temperatures of jerboas (Allactaga) in uniform thermal environments | journal = Journal of Comparative Physiology | volume = 93 | issue = 2 | pages = 117–125 | doi = 10.1007/BF00696266 |s2cid=13443069 }}
References
{{Commons category|Allactaga elater}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Dipodidae nav}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q339233}}
Category:Mammals of Azerbaijan
Category:Mammals of Afghanistan
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot