Мыши рода Sylvaemus Нижнего Дуная. Сообщение 4. Таксономия и диагностика

Abstract

Investigations in Danube delta and adjacent areas of Budjak steppe and Dobrudja showed presence of three Sylvaernus species. They were identified on the basis of comparative craniometric analysis of accessible material and types of 5. uralensis, sylvaticus and (auricus using multidimentional and discriminant methods. Sylvaernus sylvaticus was dominant in flood-land habitats, 5. tauricus (= flavi-co'llis) registered in «insular» dry land forests, S. uralensis ( = microps)—in steppe. Taxonomy of all local Sylvaernus populations is considered. Data on geografical variability of different european 5. sylvaticus populations are analyzed and right bank sylvaticus were attributed to 5. s. sabinae ssp. n. Variability of metric characters is studied for their diagnostic value. All diagno-stically important characters in the three species (measurements and proportions of skull and body, solour brigthness and contrast) are decreasing in the row «tauricus> >sylvaticus>uralensis». A key to Sylvaernus species of the region is given.