Morphological Properties of Nannospalax Rodentia: Spalacidae Distributed in North-Iraq ​

Year 2016, Volume: 44 Issue: 2, 173 - 179, 01.06.2016

Yüksel Coşkun Zaitoon Ahmad Hamad Alaettin Kaya

Abstract

The materials of 11 specimens of mole-rats Nannospalax were collected from three different localities in North Iraq. The specimens were studied in respect to their morphological characteristics in detail. Some taxonomic peculiarities and measurements of body and skull have been investigated. The data obtained from the specimens were compared with the results of the previously published accounts. The results show that morphological peculiarities between the studied populations in North Iraq show great similarities. We therefore conclude that the North Iraqi population can be morphologically classified as Nannospalax ehrenbergi.

Keywords

Rodentia, Spalax, Nannospalax ehrenbergi, morphology, North Iraq

Kuzey Irak’ta Dağılış Gösteren Nannospalax Rodentia: Spalacidae Türünün Morfolojik Özellikleri

Abstract

K uzey Irak bölgesinden 3 farklı lokaliteden toplanan 11 Kör Fare Nannospalax örneği üzerinde ayrıntılı olarak morfolojik özellikleri çalışılmıştır. Bazı taksonomik özellikleri, dış vücut ve baş iskeleti ölçüleri araştırılmıştır. Örneklerden elde edilen bilgiler literatür bilgileriyle karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçlar bu bölge Körfare’lerinin incelenen populasyonlarının benzer morfolojik özelliklere sahip olduklarını göstermektedir. Böylece, Kuzey Irak populasyonları morfolojik bakımından Nannospalax ehrenbergi türü olarak değerlendirilmiştir

Keywords

Rodentia, Spalax, Nannospalax ehrenbergi, Morfoloji, Kuzey Irak.

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