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: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Euarchontoglires
Ordo: Rodentiaa
Subordo: Sciuromorpha
Familia: Sciuridae
Subfamilia: Xerinae
Tribus: Marmotini
Genus: Marmota
Species: Marmota menzbieri
Subspecies: M. m. menzbieri – M. m. zachidovi
Name
Marmota menzbieri (Kashkarov, 1925)
Type locality: "Chigyr-Tash, in the headwaters of the Ugam River, Talass Ala Tau" [Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya oblast, Kazakhstan].
References
Primary references
Kashkarov, D. 1925. Transactions of the Turkish Scientific Society 2: 47.
The Menzbier's marmot (Marmota menzbieri) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae from Central Asia. Its name commemorates Russian zoologist Mikhail Aleksandrovich Menzbier.
Distribution and habitat
It inhabits meadows and steppe at altitudes of 2,000–3,600 m (6,600–11,800 ft) in the western Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and far northern Tajikistan.[1][2]
Conservation
It has the smallest range among the Palearctic species of marmot and tends to occur in low densities, with a population estimate in 1998 indicating that there were a total of 22,000 individuals and an estimate in 2005 indicating that there were 20,000–25,000 individuals in Kazakhstan alone.[1][2] The IUCN considers it vulnerable with the main threat being habitat loss from expanding agriculture and a smaller threat being hunting for food.[1] Locally, its range comes into contact with that of the long-tailed marmot (M. caudata) and the two form a species group, but they segregate by habitat, with the Menzbier's marmot preferring wetter areas at a higher altitude and with shorter grass.[2]
Description
It is the smallest Palearctic species of marmot with a head-and-body length if 34.5–50 cm (13.6–19.7 in) and a weight of 1.85–5 kg (4.1–11.0 lb).[2] It is a relatively short-tailed species with a long and dense fur. Uniquely among marmots, it has dark upperparts and rear parts that contrast clearly with the pale underparts and frontal parts. Like other marmots, it gradually becomes darker overall as the season progresses.[2]
Taxonomy
The range of the Menzbier's marmot is split in two by the Pskem River and its valley. Although the two populations are very similar in their appearance, they are clearly separated genetically, leading to the recognition of the northern M. m. menzbieri and the southern subspecies M. m. zachidovi.[2] Menzbier's marmots hibernate from August or September to April or May.[2]
References
Tsytsulina, K. (2008). "Marmota menzbieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T12827A3386921. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T12827A3386921.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
Kryštufek, B.; B. Vohralík (2013). "Taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic rodents (Rodentia). Part 2. Sciuridae: Urocitellus, Marmota and Sciurotamias". Lynx, N. S. (Praha). 44: 27–138.
Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 2005. Family Sciuridae. pp. 754–818 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
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