Faunistic and taxonomic study of Rodents from northwestern Iran

The northwest Iran comprises parts of two major biodiversity hotspots; Irano-Anatoli and Caucasus. It is a mountainous transition realm between Caucasus forest in the north, Pontic forest of Turkey in the west and central deserts of Iranian Plateau. This study was designed to determine rodent diversity in northwest Iran. Moreover, corridor and barrier features of the region were investigated, as well. The samplings were done in different localities of northwestern Iran. In addition, all specimens of the Zoology Museum of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (ZMFUM) attributed to the region were denoted. The study shows that the specimens belong to 18 nominal forms attributing to 5 families: Muridae (Apodemus witherbyi, Mus musculus domesticus, Mus macedonicus, Meriones persicus rossicus, M. libycus erythrourus, M. vinogradovi and M. tristrami bogdanovi), Gliridae (Dryomys nitedula pictus), Cricetidae (Microtus socialis, M. obscurus, M. qazvinensis, Chionomys nivalis trialeticus, Arvicola amphibious persicus, Ellobius lutescens lutescens, Cricetulus migratorius pulcher and Mesocricetus brandti brandti), Dipodidae (Allactaga williamsi schmidti) and Calomyscidae (Calomyscus urartensis).