Sokolov's dwarf hamster (''Cricetulus sokolovi'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are roden ...

in the

hamster Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera.Fox, Sue. 2006. ''Hamsters''. T.F.H. Publications Inc. They have become established as popular small pets. The ...

and

vole Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of lo ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Cricetidae The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At almost 608 species, it is the second-largest family of mammals, a ...

. Previously listed as conspecific with

Chinese striped hamster The Chinese striped hamster (''Cricetulus barabensis''), also known as the striped dwarf hamster, is a species of hamster. It is distributed across Northern Asia, from southern Siberia through Mongolia and northeastern China to northern North K ...

, it has been listed as a separate species since 1988. It has a distinctive dark stripe down its back on and otherwise grey body. It is found in China and

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 millio ...

, and lives in burrows beneath desert shrubs.

Taxonomy

''Cricetulus sokolovi'' was previously attributed to ''C. barabensis obscurus'', but was elevated to species status in 1988 due to differences in its

chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins ar ...

s and

fur Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket ...

. It is named after Russian

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and ...

Vladimir E. Sokolov.

Description

It’s fur is grey with a brown-yellow hue. A dark stripe runs from the back of a specimen's neck to the base of its tail. This stripe is seen more easily in younger animals and fades with age. Its feet are white and its toes curl upwards. It’s ears are the same color as its fur, with a dark grey spot in the inside middle. It has a head-body-length of between , tail length of and ear length of . The skull is on average between long.

Habitat

Sokolov's dwarf hamster prefers to live in

burrow An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of s ...

s built under desert shrubs in sandy areas. It is found in western and southern Mongolia, including in the northern and eastern

Gobi The Gobi Desert (Chinese language, Chinese: 戈壁 (沙漠), Mongolian language, Mongolian: Говь (ᠭᠣᠪᠢ)) () is a large desert or brushland region in East Asia, and is the sixth largest desert in the world. Geography The Gobi mea ...

, and in central

Inner Mongolia Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Its border includes most of the length of China's border with the country of Mongolia. Inner Mongolia also accounts for ...

in northern China. In Mongolia, its main geographical threats are droughts and the drying of water sources. Six percent of its known

range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...

in Mongolia is within protected areas.

Reproduction

Reproduction begins in mid-May with two or three litters of between four and nine young produced annually.

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1631291 Cricetulus Mammals of Asia Mammals described in 1988 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot