Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohort: Theria
Cohort: Eutheria
Cohort: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Euarchontoglires
Ordo: Rodentia
Subordo: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Dipodoidea
Familia: Dipodidae
Subfamilia: Allactaginae
Genus: Allactaga
Species: Allactaga balikunica
Name
Allactaga balikunica Hsia & Fang, 1964
Type locality: China, Xinjiang, Balikun
Synonyms
Allactaga nataliae Sokolov, 1981
References
Allactaga balikunica in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
IUCN: Allactaga balikunica Hsia & Fang, 1964 (Least Concern)
Vernacular names
English: Balikun Jerboa
The Balikun jerboa (Allactaga balikunica) is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in arid areas of northwestern China and Mongolia. It eats green plants, plant roots, seeds, grasshoppers and beetles.
Description
The Balikun jerboa is a typical five-toed jerboa that grows to a head and body length of 115 to 132 mm (4.5 to 5.2 in) with a tail of 165 to 190 mm (6.5 to 7.5 in). The dorsal surface is yellowish-greyish-brown, each hair having a grey base, a yellow centre and a brown tip. The rump is darker and the flanks paler. The underparts, forelegs and inner surface of the hind legs are white. The tail is slender with a tuft of blackish hairs at the tip mostly growing sideways. It is similar in appearance to the Gobi jerboa (Allactaga bullata) of which it was at one time thought to be a subspecies, but the stripe of colour across the hips is slightly more reddish in colour in that species.[2]
Distribution and habitat
The Balikun jerboa is endemic to the Balikun region of Xinjiang province of China, its range extending into Mongolia where it occurs in the western parts of the Gobi Desert. Its habitat is bare sandy and rocky areas with sparse vegetation.[2]
Behaviour
The Balikun jerboa is nocturnal and lives solitarily in a burrow. It is active and is a good jumper, and feeds on plant material such as shoots, roots and grass seed as well as small insects. Little is known of its reproduction but it is thought to have two litters a year, each one consisting of one to three offspring.[2]
Status
The Balikun jerboa has a wide range and is presumed to have a large total population. No specific threats have been identified and there are several protected areas within its range, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
References
Smith, A.T. (2016). "Allactaga balikunica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T851A22201701. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T851A22201701.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Andrew T. Smith; Yan Xie (2008). A guide to the mammals of China. Princeton University Press. pp. 199–200. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2.
Bibliography
Wikispecies has information related to Balikun jerboa.
Holden, M.E.; Musser, G.G. (2005). "Family Dipodidae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 871–893. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
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