Taxonomic Status and Karyology of Allactaga elater aralychensis Satunin, 1901 (Rodentia: Dipodidae) in Turkey

Authors: Ercüment ÇOLAK, Erkut KIVANÇ, Nuri YİĞİT

Abstract: 17 topotype specimens of Allactaga elater aralychensis collected from Aralİk (IĞDIR) were examined based on morphological, cranial, external and karyological characters. In A. elater aralychensis, it was found that the diploid chromosome number was 2n=48, the number of autosomal arms was FNa=92, the X chromosome was medium-sized metacentric, and the Y chromosome was subtelocentric. With a comparison of A.e. aralychensis with Allactaga elater caucasicus and Allactaga elater indica, it was determined that A.e. aralychensis is a valid taxon.

Keywords: Allactaga elater aralychensis, Taxonomy, Karyology.