RODENTS OF LIBYA 183 



are subtle, being typical of subspecies and not of species. In my 

 opinion, specimens from coastal Libya, formerly referred to M. shawl, 

 actually belong to M. libycus, and if M. shawi is a valid species, its 

 range is limited to Algeria and areas to the south and west. 



This species is represented in Libya by two subspecies, Meriones 

 libycus auralus and Meriones libycus azizi. As presently understood, 

 its range in Libya is limited to the Mediterranean littoral as far inland 

 as the coastal escarpment. Apparently the range of the nominate 

 subspecies does not include Libya. Specimens from Sidi Barrani, 

 Salum, and Mersa Matruh of western coastal Egypt, although geo- 

 graphically not far removed from the type locality of M. I. azizi, are 

 clearly referable to M. I. libycus. 



Meriones libycus auratus, new subspecies 



Holotype. Adult male, skin and skull, USNM 302233, from 

 Gheminez, Cyrenaica Province, Libya; obtained Oct. 29, 1955, by 

 H. W. Setzer, original no. 2672. 



Specimens examined. Sixteen, from Cyrenaica: Gheminez, 9; 

 5 km W El Agheila, 2; from Tripolitania: 12 km W Zliten, 3 (1 skull 

 only; 1 skin only); 40 km ENE Nalut, 2. 



Measurements. Averages and extremes of four adult males and 

 three adult females from the type locality, with the measurements of 

 the type in brackets, are, respectively: Total length 273.5 (269-282), 

 266.5 (260-273), [269]; length of tail 138 (135-143), 133.5 (132-135), 

 [137]; length of hind foot 34 (33-35), 32.7 (32-34), [35]; length of ear 

 16.8 (16-18), 16 (15-17), [16]; greatest length of skull 37.5 (36.5-38.2), 

 36.5 (36.2-36.8), [37.1]; length of palate 16.5 (16.3-16.7), 16.2 (16.1- 

 16.3), [16.3]; length of audital portion of auditory bulla 13.3 (12.8- 

 13.4), 12.6 (12.3-12.8), [13]; alveolar length of upper molariform 

 toothrow 5.6 (5.4-5.7), 5.5 (5.3-5.6), [5.6]; least interorbital breadth 

 6.2 (5.7-6.7), 5.9 (5.7-6.2), [6.1]; length of nasals 14.3 (13.7-14.9), 

 13.7 (13 6-13.9), [14.9]; breadth of rostrum at level of antorbital 

 foramina 3.6 (3.5-3.8), 3.6 (3.4-3.7), [3.6]; greatest breadth across 

 zygomatic arches 20.5 (19.8-21.4), 19.9 (19.5-20.3), [20.5]. 



Diagnosis. Upperparts ranging from Buckthorn Brown to Clay 

 Color, becoming paler on sides and approaching Cinnamon-Buff; all of 

 dorsum, including tail, evenly suffused with brownish-tipped hairs; 

 postauricular patches conspicuous and almost pure white; supraorbital 

 and preauricular patches conspicuous and almost white with strong 

 admixture of black-tipped hairs; distinct white patch present on 

 rostrum immediately behind origin of vibrissae; eye ring black; pinna 

 of ear relatively short, remarkably uniform in color, but slightly darker 

 distally and almost devoid of hair, except for a distinct row of pos- 

 teriorly directed buffy hairs on anterolateral margin; vibrissae fine in 



