86.

Ammodile

Ammodillus imbellis

French: Ammodile / German: Ammodill-Rennmaus / Spanish: Ammodile

Other common names: Somali Gerbil, Walo

Taxonomy. Gerbillus imbellis de Winton, 1898,

Goodar, Somalia.

Ammodillus imbellis was initially described as a species of Gerbillus but later placed in new genus based on unique skull characteristics. It is rare, and its phylogenetic affinities have not been tested molecularly. Morphologically, Ammodillus is a basal lineage of Gerbillinae, justifying the tribe Ammodillini. Monotypic.

Distribution. Somalia and E Ethiopia.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 84-105 mm, tail 129-150 mm, ear 14-16 mm, hindfoot 26-29 mm; weight 31 g. The Ammodileis rather small, with long tail (145% of headbody length) and developed pencil of brown to black hairs at tip. Dorsum is reddish fawn to brownish yellow, and venter is white. Forefeet and hindfeet are white, and soles of hindfeet are naked. Molar rows converge posteriorly more than in other species of Gerbillinae, and coronoid process on mandible is absent. Females have three pairs of nipples. Diploid number is 2n = 18.

Habitat. Dry and semiarid savannas with bush and scrubs and coastal steppe.

Food and Feeding. Little is known, but due to absence of coronoid process on mandible, it has been speculated that the Ammodile eats only soft food.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Ammodileslive in colonies close to sandy hills and dig burrows in sandy soils.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There 1s little information about distribution and ecology of the Ammodile, butits habitat 1s very altered by humans.

Bibliography. Capanna & Merani (1981), Happold (2013a), Monadjem et al. (2015), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pavlinov (1987 2008), Pavlinov et al. (1990), Roche & Petter (1968).