Meriones (Pallasiomys) tristrami Thomas, 1892

27. Tristram’s Jird, Meriones (Pallasiomys) tristrami Thomas, 1892 View in CoL

(IUCN Red List: LC)

Subspecies: M. t. bodenheimeri Aharoni, 1932, M. t. kariateni Aharoni, 1932 and M. t. lycaon Thomas, 1919.

Distribution: Abundant with a wide distribution in all suitable habitats throughout Syria from Mesopotamian, along the Euphrates Valley, Al-Badia and steppes, Aleppo, around Damascus, Sahl Al-Ghab, coastal region, and Mount Hermon ( Fig. 33 View FIGURE 33 ).

Previous records: Azaz and Biliramun ( Aharoni 1932), southwest Tell Abiad and Khneiz ( Misonne 1957), Jarablus and north of Latakia ( Lehmann 1966), Palmyra, Zalabiyyeh and Qal’at er-Rahba ( Kock & Nader 1983), Qal’at Al-Hosson and 26 km north of Tartous ( Nadachowski et al. 1990), Tell Sheikh Hamad ( Kock et al. 1994), Tell Al-Buderi, Halabiyyeh, ar- Rasafah, Katir Magara, el-Ukershe and Kasret Muhammed Ali ( Kock 1998), Busra, Qal’at Al-Hosson, Deir Khabiah, Qal’at Sheizar, Hamra, Qal’at Ja’abar, Heraqla, ar- Rasafah, Kasret Muhammed Ali, el-Ukershe, Heraqla, Al-Qaryatein, Muzirib, Khrab Al-Shaham, Yahmool, Kharabow and Ain Arab ( Shehab 2004 a, 2005; Shehab et al 2004, 2018; Shehab & Charabi 2006), Talila ( Serra et al. 2009a, b), and Jabal Abd Al-Aziz ( Daoud & Khalil 2009c).

Recent records: Jeiroud (2021) and Tell Hidiah (2022).

Remarks: Meriones t. bodenheimeri is confined to western Syria, M. t. kariateni confined to Al-Badia and arid steppes, while M. t. lycaon is native to the northern regions ( Harrison & Bates 1991). However, the species is referred to as monotypic by Burgin et al. (2020).