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U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 75 



13 



14 



15 



Figure 36. — Statistical comparison of length of nasals of the species of Meriones. Notation 

 remains the same as in figure 32. 



In Libya, local representatives of groups "a," M. pallidas tripolius 

 Thomas; "b," M. libycus caudatus Thomas; and "c," M. shawi were 

 recognized. Meriones pallidus tripolius from the Gebel Limhersuk, 

 Tripolitania, and M. libycus caudatus from Bir Ferdjan ( = Fergian) 

 El Hammam (=Ain Hammam) were described as new subspecies 

 in the same paper. 



In Algeria, Meriones richardi (Loche) represented the "shawi" 

 group north of the Atlas. Populations to the south of the Atlas were 

 referred to Meriones gnyoni (Loche) and M. schousboei, which Thomas 

 considered as being "doubtfully separable" from libycus. 



Ellerman (1941) divided the genus Meriones into three subgenera, 

 Parameriones Heptner, Cheliones Thomas, and Meriones, based on the 

 degree of hairiness of the sole of the hind feet. The latter subgenus 

 contained all of the North African species, consisting primarily of 

 M. libycus, M. schousboei, and M. erythrourus. These three species, 

 in addition to M. grandis Cabrera, M. trouessarti Lataste, M. kozlovi 

 Satunin, M. longifrons Lataste, M. ismahelis Cheesman and Hinton, 

 M. arimalius Cheesman and Hinton, and M. charon, constituted the 

 "libycus" group. Ellerman (1941) included all of the Libyan jirds 



