Taxonomic Status and Distribution of Apodemus mystacinus (Danford and Alston, 1877) (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey

Authors: ERCÜMENT ÇOLAK, NURİ YİĞİT, REYHAN ÇOLAK, MUSTAFA SÖZEN, ŞAKİR ÖZKURT, TOLGA KANKILIÇ

Abstract: Morphological, biometrical, karyological, bacular and phallic aspects of Apodemus mystacinus populations in Turkey were studied based on 117 specimens. The biometrical and phallic comparisons confirmed the distinctness of A. m. mystacinus and A. m. epimelas. The UPGMA tree divided populations in Turkey into 2 groups. The distance (D) between A. m. mystacinus and A. m. euxinus was 0.469. A. mystacinus had karyotypic values of 2n = 48, NFa = 50, and NF = 52. Being different from A. m. epimelas, there was a short groove in the dorsal view of the phallus in populations of A. m. mystacinus in Turkey.

Keywords: Apodemus mystacinus, Taxonomy, Karyology, Baculum, Phallus, Turkey

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