Project

Skull shape and size variation in gerbils (genus Meriones Rodentia: Muridae: Gerbillinae) from the Irania Plateau: a gemometric morphometric study

Code
01SF0408
Duration
01 February 2009 → 31 October 2011
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Animal biology
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Veterinary medicine
Keywords
Iranian plateau skull Meriones Muridae morphometrics
 
Project description

Skull size and shape variation in jirds, belonging to the genus Meriones, is studied using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Patterns of ecogeographical and clinal intra-specific variation in skull size and shape will be explored, in order to understand the pattern geographical distribution of natural groups (species) of jirds in the Iranean plateau, and the underlying diversifications in their skull morphology.