@article{PAR00004912,
  title = {{A}re there two cryptic species of the lesser jerboa {J}aculus jaculus ({R}odentia : {D}ipodidae) in {T}unisia ? {E}vidence from molecular, morphometric, and cytogenetic data},
  author = {{B}en {F}aleh, {A}. and {C}osson, {J}.-{F}. and {T}atard, {C}. and {B}en {O}thmen, {A}. and {S}aid, {K}. and {G}ranjon, {L}aurent},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{J}erboas belonging to the genus {J}aculus are widely distributed rodents inhabiting {P}alearctic desert and semi-desert areas. {P}revious studies on the lesser {E}gyptian jerboa {J}aculus jaculus showed the existence of various morphological forms of controversial taxonomic status. {T}hey were sometimes related to two different species, {J}. jaculus and {J}aculus deserti, although this has not been recognized in recent taxonomic updates. {T}o clarify the systematic status of {J}. jaculus in {T}unisia, we performed molecular (phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b sequences), morphological (multivariate analyses of 13 skull measurements) and karyotypic (standard preparations from bone marrow cells) analyses on a number of specimens collected from ten localities. {O}ur analyses revealed two monophyletic, well differentiated clades, with a mean genetic divergence value ({K}2{P} = 10.9 +/- 0.01%), which is within the range of distances generally observed between rodent species. {M}orphometric analyses clearly separated populations of the two genetic clades from each other. {H}owever, karyotypes of individuals from both clades appeared similar. {I}ndividuals from both molecular clades/morphometric groups were found in sympatry in most of the localities sampled. {T}hese results, as obtained from a restricted area of the total distribution, suggest that there are two separate species within the currently accepted {J}. jaculus in {T}unisia. {A}lternative hypotheses such as the occurrence of a strong, ancient phylogeographic structure, or the presence of pseudogenes, are also considered to account for the results obtained.},
  keywords = {{J}aculus deserti ; molecular systematics ; morphological characters ; {N}orth ; {A}frica},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}iological {J}ournal of the {L}innean {S}ociety},
  volume = {99},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {673--686},
  ISSN = {0024-4066},
  year = {2010},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00004912},
}