Vinogradov's jird (Meriones vinogradovi)
Appearance and features
The Vinogradov's jird (Meriones vinogradovi) is a relatively large animal, its tail is shorter than its body (averaging 90% of its length). The coat on the soles of the hind legs of this gerbil is an intense ochre-rust colour; the black hairs on the tail panicle reach a length of 25 mm and occupy a larger area in the distal part of the tail.
Habitat
The species' range is relatively small, occupying foothill semi-deserts of southern Transcaucasia, southeastern Turkey, northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and northern Iraq. Settlements of Meriones vinogradovi are located in places with a thick layer of fine-grained soil and are confined mainly to deposits, interstices and areas with soft soils.
Their diet is mixed, animals consume both seeds and various vegetative parts of plants.
In Armenia they mainly feed on mature seeds of herbaceous and shrubby plants and insects. It is characteristic for Meriones vinogradovi to store a large amount of food before the winter period. In spring and winter Meriones vinogradovi are active exclusively during daytime, and in summer - mainly at night.
The nesting chamber of Meriones vinogradovi is located in the deepest part of the burrow, at a depth of up to 60 cm. The burrow has many dead ends and storage areas for storing supplies.
Social behaviour
Meriones vinogradovi is characterised by family-group behaviour. There are 2-4 animals in each colony. Seedlings share a group territory, which appears to be the individual territory of the mother.
Group members are bound by a system of personalised relationships and are aggressive towards unfamiliar individuals of their own age. Adult males have much larger territories, often overlapping with the territories of several groups of segregated juveniles. They actively defend their territories from other adult males; when encountering young animals, they demonstrate elements of threat, after which the cubs submit and show elements of appeasement.
The basis for the maintenance of the socio-spatial structure of natural groups of Meriones vinogradovi is the presence of personalised non-agonistic ties between group members and the active desire of the animals for social contacts.
Reproduction
Breeding of overwintering females lasts from February to September, with a peak in April-May. In favourable years in southern Azerbaijan, females may bring broods all year round. During a year adult females bring up to three litters, young females - not more than two. The gestation period varies from 21 to 25 days, with broods of 3 to 9 cubs.
