Shaw's jird

Shaw's jird
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
Genus: Meriones
Species:
M. shawi
Binomial name
Meriones shawi
(Duvernoy, 1842)

Shaw's jird (Meriones shawi) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. Its natural habitats are arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens.

The Shaw's jird is a relatively large, gerbil-like rodent about the size of a rat. An adult male may grow to 14 inches (36 cm) long including the tail, which comprises about half this length. Males tend to be slightly larger and more heavily built (up to 6 ounces (170 g)) than females (5 ounces (140 g). The animal has a sandy base coat that is usually quite dark, although it can be found in lighter shades. Occasionally there is a white head spot. Jirds have larger, less hairy ears than a Mongolian gerbil.

The Shaw's jird is able to survive long periods of dehydration in semi-desert regions where it lives, in part because of its well-developed kidneys. A Shaw's jird can mate 224 times in two hours. During the rainy season, Shaw's jirds breed more than in the summer when there is less rain. They typically live 1–2 years. In the Algerian highlands, they are a main prey source for barn owls.

References

  1. 1 2 Granjon, L. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Meriones shawi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T42666A115519601. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T42666A22432526.en. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Shaw's jird", Crittery Exotics; accessed 2026.08.27.
  3. ↑ Shaw's Jird Physical Description, The Furry Critter Network; accessed 2026.08.27.
  4. ↑ Elgot, Abdeljalil; El hiba, Omar; Gamrani, Halima (2012-10-01). "The anxiogenic-like effects of dehydration in a semi-desert rodent Meriones shawi indicating the possible involvement of the serotoninergic system". Acta Histochemica. 114 (6): 603–607. doi:10.1016/j.acthis.2011.11.005. ISSN 0065-1281. PMID 22172710.
  5. ↑ "Reproduction (Part of the Extreme Mammals exhibition.)". American Museum of National History.
  6. ↑ Zaime, Abdelkader; Gautier, Jean-Yves (March 1987). Variations of Density and Spatial Occupation in 3 Rodent Species in a Semi-Arid Area of Morocco. 1st European Meeting "The Rodent and Its Environment" ("Le Rongeur et l'Espace"). Mammalia. Lyon, France: Universite Claude-Bernard. p. 478.
  7. ↑ Doumandji, S.; Denys, C.; Ababsa, L.; Guezoul, O.; Benbouzid, N.; Guerzou, A.; Souttou, K.; Sekour, M. (June 2014). "Importance of Shaw's Jird Meriones shawii within the trophic components of the Barn Owl Tyto alba in steppic areas of Algeria" (PDF). Comptes Rendus Biologies. 337 (6): 405–415. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2014.04.005. ISSN 1631-0691. PMID 24961561.