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: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Muroidea
Familia: Cricetidae
Subfamilia: Cricetinae
Genus: Mesocricetus
Species: Mesocricetus raddei
Name
Mesocricetus raddei (Nehring, 1894)
Type locality: Russia (Northern Caucasus, Dagestan)
Synonyms
Cricetus nigricans raddei Nehring, 1894
Mesocricetus nigriculus Nehring, 1898
Mesocritecus raddei avaricus Ognev & Heptner, 1927
References
Mesocricetus raddei 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: Mesocricetus raddei (Nehring, 1894) (Least Concern)
Vernacular names
English: Ciscaucasian Hamster
polski: Chomik kaukaski
The Ciscaucasian hamster (Mesocricetus raddei) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is also known as the Georgian hamster and is found only in Georgia and Russia.[1]
Distribution and habitat
This hamster occurs on the northern slopes of the Caucasus and Ciscaucasia, between Dagestan, the Don River and the Sea of Azov. It is also known from a single record in Georgia.[1] It appears to be extending its range north and north-westwards in its plains habitats but in the mountains the population remains stable. It is found in grassy steppes and also mountain steppes at elevations from 1600 to 2300 m above sea level. It favours pasture and cultivated land and also occurs in belts of trees and rough grass between fields but not in dense woodland.[2]
Morphology and biology
Hamsters of the subspecies found in mountainous regions are larger than the ones found on the plains. They are about 28 cm (11 in) long with a short tail, 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long. They are yellowish-brown above with creamy white throat and underparts and a black ventral region. There are two broad black stripes at the shoulder and the ears are large and rounded. This hamster is considered an agricultural pest. It is mainly nocturnal, emerging at dusk to feed on grasses and herbs in spring and early summer, and on seeds, crops and roots in the autumn.[3] The burrow is extensive and has several exits in the mountain subspecies but only one on the plains. Large stores of food (up to 16 kg (35 lb)) are laid up in the autumn before hibernation which lasts for four to six months depending on the temperature and altitude. This food is mostly eaten in the spring upon emergence from hibernation. In the mountains there are two generations each year but on the plains there may be three or four. Litter size is up to twenty and averages about twelve. This fecundity means that the species can recover quickly after harsh winters and the population size is subject to considerable fluctuations.[1][2]
Economic significance
In some years M. raddei becomes a considerable pest of agricultural crops. It can damage cereals and perennial grasses, disrupt potato plantings, melon fields and vegetable gardens. Close to the burrow the vegetation may be completely destroyed.[4] It is sometimes trapped for its fur.[2]
References
Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Mesocricetus raddei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T13222A115111279. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T13222A22390311.en. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
Mesocricetus raddei Nehring. – Ciscaucasian Hamster or Georgian Hamster.. Agroatlas.ru. Retrieved on 2012-12-28.
"What Herbs Hamsters Eat?". Tiny Pet Tales. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
Magomedov M., Omarov K.Z. (1995). The peculiarities of nutrition and condition of natural population of ciscaucasian hamster (Mesocricetus raddei avaricus) in agricultural landscapes of mountain. Dagestan. Zoologicheskii zhurnal, 74(3): 123–133. (In Russian)
Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 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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