Desert dormouse

Selevinia betpakdalaensis

SUBFAMILY

Selevinia

TAXONOMY

Selevinia betpakdalaensis Belusludov and Bashanov, 1939, south Kazakhstan.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

French: Loir du desert.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Head and body length 2.9–3.7 in (7.5–9.5 cm), tail 2.3–3 in (5.8–7.7 cm); weight 0.6–0.9 oz (18–25 g). Fur is grayish above and whitish underneath.

DISTRIBUTION

Kazakhstan.

HABITAT

Shrubby thickets in desert, especially wormwood and Spirianthes.

BEHAVIOR

Thought to emerge at twilight to feed, sheltering from the sun under cover, or possibly in a burrow by day. When threatened, moves in a succession of short jumps.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Probably wholly carnivorous, feeding on insects and spiders. Can eat three-quarters of its own body weight in one night.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Nothing is known.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

None known.