Geometric morphometric comparison of mandible and skull of five species of genus Allactaga (Rodentia: Dipodidae) from Iran

The genus Allactaga is a group of rodents with five morphospecies distributed in the Iranian plateau. In order to conduct a taxonomic revision at the species level, 27 individuals were collected in the Iranian plateau from localities typical of each species. Phylogenetic relationships within species were analyzed using cytochrome oxidase subunit I and morphometric data. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis demonstrated that Hotson´s Jerboa and the Iranian Jerboa are identical,with very low molecular divergence. This was confirmed by biometrical analyses of cranial and dental characteristics. Both molecular and morphometric analyses separated the small five-toed Jerboa from the other species. In the phylogenetic tree and haplotype network, the taxonomic situation of the Toussi Jerboa as a new species is prominent, as had been concluded by morphometric data.

Keywords:

Allactaga toussi , A. firouzi , geometric morphometrics , Iran , landmark , mandible , skull