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Goodwin's brush‐tailed mouse (Calomyscus elburzensis Goodwin, 1939) is a poorly known small rodent that occupies rocky habitats in Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Syria. Herein, a detailed description of the shape, size, and function of the postcranial skeleton of this species is presented for the first time. Trapping was carried out in eastern Iran between the years 2013 and 2015. Skeletal parts of 24 adult male specimens were removed using the papain digestion protocol, and several postcranial morphological characteristics and measurements were examined. We attempted to achieve a morpho‐functional characterization of Goodwin's brush‐tailed mouse and to match morphological specializations with previous information on the ecology, behavior, and phylogenetic inferences of this rodent. Goodwin's brush‐tailed mouse has extended transverse processes and long zygapophyses in the first five caudal vertebrae along with a good innervation of the caudal vertebrae, which has resulted in a well‐developed basal musculature of the tail. It has extended forelimb, long ilium, and short post‐acetabular part of the innominate bone, loose hip joint with high degree of lateral movement of the hindlimb, and long distal elements of the hindlimb. These features have resulted in fast terrestrial movements in open microhabitats, including climbing and jumping. Although superficial scratching of the ground is observed, the species is incapable of digging burrows. Evaluation of postcranial morphological characteristics and character states further indicated the basal radiation of the genus Calomyscus among other Muroidea. Findings constitute a source of information for morpho‐functional and phylogenetic comparisons between Calomyscidae and other mouse‐like muroids. Research Highlights: Postcranial morphological specializations of Calomyscus elburzensis were matched with information on its ecology and phylogeny.Findings constitute a data set for morpho‐functional and phylogenetic comparisons between Calomyscidae and other rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds of prey feed mainly on small vertebrates and regurgitate indigestible remains, such as hair and bones of their prey, as pellet. Hence, the analysis of pellets provides valuable information on the distribution of the prey species. In this paper, we used elements of the postcranial skeleton for the identification of gerbilline rodents in pellets of birds of prey in Iran for the first time. These pellets were collected during several field campaigns in 11 regions of North, Razavi, and South Khorasan provinces (Iran), and supplemented with museum data from 13 regions in Razavi Khorasan, Golestan, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces (Iran). A total of 320 rodent individuals from 102 different pellets were identified, of which 44 (13%) rodent specimens belong to Gerbillinae. The gerbilline species Meriones crassus, M. zarudnyi and Tatera indica were recognized based on diagnostic traits of their postcranium. Identification based on postcranial traits was confirmed by skull and tooth identifications. Using pellet remains, the record of Zarudny's jird (M. zarudnyi) expanded the distribution range of the species. We also provided some notes on the shape and size of the pellets of birds of prey. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the role of postcranial elements in identification of rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Entomological surveys of ectoparasites and their hosts are an essential tool for assessing the risks of rodent-borne diseases transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors. Objectives: This study was carried out to update the epidemiological data of plague with respect to species compositions of the rodents and their ectoparasites at enzootic foci located in Kurdistan Province, Iran. Methods: The rodents' habitats were selected based on past records of plague and subclimates in each study district with especial attention to the vegetation type. The trapped rodents were anesthetized using a chloroform chamber, and the animals were then examined for ectoparasites by brushing their hair over a pan containing water. The ectoparasites were collected with a fine brush and preserved in 70% ethanol in screw cap tubes. Results: A total of 208 rodents were trapped from three districts. Taxonomic ranking of the rodents indicated that the specimens belonged to 2 suborders of Myomorpha and Sciuromorpha, 4 families (Muridae, Muscardinidae, Cricetidae, and Sciuridae), 7 genera, including Meriones, Apodemus, Mus, Sciurus, Microtus, and Dryomys, and 15 species. Out of 208 rodents, only 56 (26.9%) were infested with 22 species of ectoparasites. Totally, 312 ectoparasites were isolated from 56 rodents, including 12 flea species (54.5%), 6 mite species (27.3%), 3 tick species (13.6%), and one louse species (4.6%). Five species of fleas were recorded for the first time in Kurdistan Province, including Ctenophthalmus iranus persicus, Paraceras melis melis, Nosopsyllus iranus iranus, Paraceras sp., and Ctenophyllus spp. Conclusion: The finding revealed new records for rodents and ectoparasites in Kurdistan Province, as well as changes in dominant rodent species and their ectoparasites compared to previous studies. This phenomenon can influence the changes in the incidence of plague and its epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent water voles (genus Arvicola) display a prominent morphological diversity with a strong ecotypical background but with unclear taxonomic associations. We provide a novel synthetic view on the evolutionary history and the current taxonomic richness in the genus. Our molecular reconstruction, based on a 1143-bp-long sequence of cytochrome b and a 926-bp interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (irbp) confirmed the monophyly of four species (amphibius, sapidus, monticola and italicus) recognized thus far, and retrieved a new deeply divergent lineage from West Iran. Genetic divergence of the Iranian lineage (>9.0%) is inside the range of interspecies distances, exceeding the interspecies divergences between the remaining Arvicola species (range, 4.3–8.7%). The oldest name available for the Iranian phylogroup is Arvicola persicus de Filippi, 1865, with the type locality in Soltaniyeh, Iran. The molecular clock suggests the divergence of A. persicus in the Early Pleistocene (2.545 Ma), and the current radiation of the remaining species between 1.535 Ma (Arvicola sapidus) and 0.671 Ma. While A. sapidus possibly evolved from Arvicola jacobaeus, a fossil ancestor to A. persicus is unknown. The aquatic life-style of Mimomys savini, a direct ancestor to some fossil Arvicola, is retained in recent stem species A. sapidus and A. persicus, while a major shift toward fossorial morphotype characterizes the terminal lineages (amphibius, italicus and monticola). We suggest that habitat-dependent morphological plasticity and positive enamel differentiation in Arvicola amphibius widened its ecological niche that might trigger a range expansion across c. 12 million km2, making it one of the largest among arvicolines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present an integrative systematic revision of the spider gecko, Agamura senso lato, in Iran. We sampled 56 geckos of this complex from its distributional range in Iran and western Pakistan and sequenced these for two mitochondrial markers, cytochrome b and 12S ribosomal RNA, and one nuclear marker, melano-cortin 1 receptor. We combined our molecular data with species distribution modelling and morphological examinations to clarify Agamura persica systematics and biogeography. Due to a lack of published data, we used only our data to investigate the spatial and temporal origin of spider geckos within a complete geographic and phylogenetic context. The phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of Agamura. Among spider geckos, Rhinogekko diverged around the early-mid Miocene (17 Mya) from the Lut Block, and then Cyrtopodion diverged from the Agamura clade about 15 Mya in the mid-Miocene as a result of the uplifting of the Zagros Mountains. Subsequent radiation across the Iranian Plateau took place during the mid-Pliocene. Agamura kermanensis exhibits deep divergence from two other species of Agamura (A. persica and A. cruralis), whereas no geographical substructure was observed on the Iranian Plateau for A. persica and A. cruralis. Our findings reveal that diversification is consistent with a biogeographical model explained by different dispersal waves and vicariant events on the Iranian Plateau during the last 18 Mya. The divergence times between clades are compatible with orogenic events in southern Iran that resulted from the collision with Arabia. According to the genetic differentiation of both mtDNA genes (12S and cytochrome b), the systematic status of A. cruralis is confirmed, the new clade was distinguished from the genus Agamura, monophyly of Rhinogekko was confirmed and the allocation of Cyrtopodion gastrophole to the Cyrtopodion clade was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Kurdistan Province in Iran is a historical focus for plague and tularemia. This study aimed at assessing the current status of these two foci by studying their rodent reservoirs. Materials and Methods: Rodents were trapped and their ectoparasites were collected. The genus and species of both rodents and ectoparasites were determined. Serological analyses of rodent blood samples were done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for plague and by standard tube agglutination assay for tularemia. Rodent spleen samples were subjected to bacterial culture, microscopic examination, and real-time PCR to search for active plague or tularemia infection. Results: During this study, 245 rodents were trapped, of which the most abundant genera were Apodemus (40%), Mus (24.49%), and Meriones (12.65%). One hundred fifty-three fleas, 37 mites, and 54 ticks were collected on these rodents. The results of all direct and indirect tests were negative for plague. Serological tests were positive for tularemia in 4.8% of trapped rodents. Discussion: This study is the first report on the presence of tularemia infection in rodents in Western Iran. Since Meriones persicus is a known reservoir for plague and tularemia, and this rodent carried plague and tularemia vectors in Marivan and Sanandaj districts, there is a real potential for the occurrence of these two diseases in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogeography and subspecific situation of the house mouse, Mus musculus in the center and east of the Iranian Plateau has hitherto been neglected due to the hypothesis of commensalism origin of the Iranian house mouse in this region. Meanwhile, geographic barriers in central Iran have an important effect on subspeciation of the house mouse in this region. In this study, a total of 123 specimens of mice from Iran and Afghanistan were included in the molecular analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b ( cytb) gene, 156 specimens of mice were included in geometric morphometrics of the dorsal view of the skull, and 69 specimens of those in outline analysis of the first lower molar (m1). To further explore the relationship among the clades, we selected 19 individuals from the four clades and ran a phylogenetic analysis on concatenated sequences of both cytb and the D-loop. Molecular results using maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) showed that the Iranian Plateau is occupied with four mitochondrial clades: Mus musculus musculus in northeastern Iran, Mus musculus domesticus in western Iran in the Zagros Mountains up to the Persian Gulf basins, clade A ( Mus musculus bactrianus) in the east of Iran and Afghanistan, and a new clade B ( Mus musculus isatissus) from the center of Iran, which is the sister clade to clade A. This finding demonstrated that the house mouse of central Iran is different from that in the east of Iran and Afghanistan. Geometric morphometrics analyses and other morphometric methods of skull and m1 discriminate clade A and clade B. Both molecular and geometric morphometrics analyses separate clade A and clade B. The house mouse of central Iran should be considered as a new subspecies, M. m. isatissus spp.nov. Our molecular and geometric morphometrics analyses concluded that clade A belongs to the subspecies M. m. bactrianus, thereby expanding the distribution of the subspecies from its type locality in the south of Afghanistan to the east of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood mice of the genus Apodemus are widely distributed in Eurasia, with the Eastern Mediterranean being considered as a hotspot. Indeed, numerous species have been documented in Iran, including A. witherbyi, A. hyrcanicus, A. uralensis, A. avicennicus, A. hermonensis, and A. arianus. In this study, 129 specimens were collected from different Iranian localities and two specimens from Afghanistan. The animals were identified taxonomically and their phylogenetic relationships were investigated using cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequences. Five species of the genus Apodemus were identified in Iran, including A. hyrcanicus, A. witherbyi, A. cf. ponticus, A. uralensis, and A. mystacinus, beside , A. pallipes from Afghanistan . This study found no evidence of A. flavicollis or A. sylvaticus in Iran, despite their occurrence in Turkey, shedding doubt on the status of A. flavicollis in Iran, Asia Minor, and the Levant. Phylogenetic analyses imply that A. witherbyi has priority over A. avicennicus, A. hermonensis, and A. iconicus. Estimation of the divergence time for these taxa suggests a separation at around 7.2 Ma for the subgenera Karstomys (including A. mystacinus and A. epimelas) and Sylvaemus (including A. flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, A. uralensis, A. pallipes, A. hyrcanicus, A. witherbyi, and A. cf. ponticus). Within the subgenus Karstomys, the divergence times for A. mystacinus and A. epimelas were between 3.0 and 6.1 Ma, and divergence times within the subgenus Sylvaemus were between 5.2 and 6.9 Ma for A. witherbyi and other species in this subgenus. It is postulated that vicariance events including the uplifting of the Zagros Mountains and Anatolian Plateau in the middle Miocene and climate oscillations during the Messinian Salinity Crisis besides formation of the Hyrcanian tertiary forests during the Neogene probably played substantial roles in the radiation and distribution of the genus Apodemus in the Eastern Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We karyotyped six species of Microtus voles collected along the southern edge of their range in northern and western Iran. Diploid and fundamental numbers were as follows: M. socialis and M. paradoxus 2n = 62, FNa = 60, M. qazvinensis 2n = 54, FNa = 54, M. transcaspicus 2n = 52, FNa = 52, and M. mystacinus (= M. rossiaemeridionalis) 2n = 54, FNa = 54. Two cytotypes were retrieved in M. irani from its type locality: 2n = 48, FNa = 46 and 2n = 64, FNa = 62. While our results confirmed an early report of 2n = 64 for this vole, the 2n = 48 cytotype remains unexplained. Karyological variability is relatively low in social voles and chromosomal data contribute little to individual species recognition. We argue that Arvicola mystacinus De Filippi, 1865, described from Lar Valley (northeast of Tehran) is the oldest available name for 2n = 54 voles with the following synonyms: M. subarvalis Meyer, Orlov & Skholl, 1969, M. epiroticus Ondrias, 1966, and M. rossiaemeridionalis Ognev, 1924. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alveolar echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis. Many species of small mammals, including arvicolid rodents or Ochotona spp., are natural intermediate hosts of the cestode. The main aim of this study was to identify natural intermediate hosts of E. multilocularis in Chenaran County, Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran, where the prevalence of infected wild and domestic carnivores is high. Methodology/Principal Findings: A program of trapping was carried out in five villages in which this cestode was reported in carnivores. The livers of 85 small mammals were investigated for the presence of E. multilocularis infection using multiplex PCR of mitochondrial genes. Infections were identified in 30 specimens: 23 Microtus transcaspicus, three Ochotona rufescens, two Mus musculus, one Crocidura gmelini, and one Apodemus witherbyi. Conclusions/Significance: A range of small mammals therefore act as natural intermediate hosts for the transmission of E. multilocularis in Chenaran County, and the prevalence suggested that E. multilocularis infection is endemic in this region. The existence of the life cycle of this potentially lethal cestode in the vicinity of human habitats provides a significant risk of human infection. Author Summary: Small mammals, especially rodents, coexist with humans, particularly in rural areas where they become infected with the larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis via ingestion of eggs in feces from infected carnivores. As prey for carnivores, small mammals have an important role in the life cycle of E. multilocularis, the agent of a serious zoonotic disease, alveolar echinococcosis, infecting people in most northern hemisphere countries. We detected E. multilocularis infection in the liver of small mammals in villages of the Chenaran region of northeastern Iran, where we previously found adult E. multilocularis and/or eggs in all wild, and some domestic, carnivores examined. Several species of small mammals, especially the Transcaspian vole (Microtus transcaspicus), were natural hosts of this cestode. Since infected voles are a good marker of soil contamination with E. multilocularis eggs, they are an indicator of the infection risk for inhabitants. There is a need to educate local populations about risk of infection to avoid transmission of this pathogenic parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alveolar echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the metacestode of Echinococcus multilocularis. Many species of small mammals, including arvicolid rodents or Ochotona spp., are natural intermediate hosts of the cestode. The main aim of this study was to identify natural intermediate hosts of E. multilocularis in Chenaran County, Razavi Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran, where the prevalence of infected wild and domestic carnivores is high. Methodology/Principal Findings: A program of trapping was carried out in five villages in which this cestode was reported in carnivores. The livers of 85 small mammals were investigated for the presence of E. multilocularis infection using multiplex PCR of mitochondrial genes. Infections were identified in 30 specimens: 23 Microtus transcaspicus, three Ochotona rufescens, two Mus musculus, one Crocidura gmelini, and one Apodemus witherbyi. Conclusions/Significance: A range of small mammals therefore act as natural intermediate hosts for the transmission of E. multilocularis in Chenaran County, and the prevalence suggested that E. multilocularis infection is endemic in this region. The existence of the life cycle of this potentially lethal cestode in the vicinity of human habitats provides a significant risk of human infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the most comprehensive work on Iranian snakes to date, 4 species of the boid snakes of the genus Eryx (Daudin, 1803), E. tataricus (Lichtenstein, 1823), E. miliaris (Pallas, 1773), E. elegans (Gray, 1849), and E. jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758), have been reported from northeastern Iran. In this study, the distribution, morphological characters, and taxonomic status of the genus Eryx in northeastern Iran are reviewed. Four metric and 9 meristic characters were studied in 47 specimens belonging to various populations of Eryx in different parts of Khorasan provinces. Descriptions of the characters of the species of Eryx in northeastern Iran were revised. According to the results, and considering the principle of priority, we concluded that the northeastern populations of E. elegans are conspecific with E. jaculus, and the populations of E. tataricus are conspecific with E. miliaris. In addition, 2 specimens belonging to a population of Eryx in the area were found that differ from all other Iranian species of the genus in several taxonomic characters, but generally were similar to E. miliaris. These specimens need more comprehensive study to clarify their taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship using more morphology traits, ecology, and molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of the phylogeography of the greater mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma microphyllum in Iran. It explores the significance of the research in clarifying the taxonomic status of the subject bat. It discusses findings of genetic diversity of the species in the mitochondrial control region in several areas, concluding that there was not much statistical significance in the variations among populations. It recommends naming R.m. microphyllum and R. m. harrisoni found in Iran as synonymous to R. m. harrisoni.

Caprella moradi sp. nov. is described from intertidal zone of the Gulf of Oman, Iran. This species is differentiated from the most similar species Caprella danilevskii (Czerniavski, 1868), by four rows of fine setae on the body surface and bears a curved anterior surface of propodus in the second male gnathopod.

Introduction: Entomological surveys of ectoparasites and their hosts are an essential tool for assessing the risks of rodent-borne diseases transmitted to humans by arthropod vectors. Objectives: This study was carried out to update the epidemiological data of plague with respect to species compositions of the rodents and their ectoparasites at enzootic foci located in Kurdistan Province, Iran. Methods: The rodents' habitats were selected based on past records of plague and subclimates in each study district with especial attention to the vegetation type. The trapped rodents were anesthetized using a chloroform chamber, and the animals were then examined for ectoparasites by brushing their hair over a pan containing water. The ectoparasites were collected with a fine brush and preserved in 70% ethanol in screw cap tubes. Results: A total of 208 rodents were trapped from three districts. Taxonomic ranking of the rodents indicated that the specimens belonged to 2 suborders of Myomorpha and Sciuromorpha, 4 families (Muridae, Muscardinidae, Cricetidae, and Sciuridae), 7 genera, including Meriones , Apodemus , Mus , Sciurus , Microtus , and Dryomys , and 15 species. Out of 208 rodents, only 56 (26.9%) were infested with 22 species of ectoparasites. Totally, 312 ectoparasites were isolated from 56 rodents, including 12 flea species (54.5%), 6 mite species (27.3%), 3 tick species (13.6%), and one louse species (4.6%). Five species of fleas were recorded for the first time in Kurdistan Province, including Ctenophthalmus iranus persicus , Paraceras melis melis , Nosopsyllus iranus iranus , Paraceras sp., and Ctenophyllus spp. Conclusion: The finding revealed new records for rodents and ectoparasites in Kurdistan Province, as well as changes in dominant rodent species and their ectoparasites compared to previous studies. This phenomenon can influence the changes in the incidence of plague and its epidemiology.

Herein, we describe a new species of spider gecko, Agamura kermanensis sp. nov., from south Kerman, Iran. The new species is distinguished from other species by having long forelimbs and hindlimbs and a high interorbital distance. Agamura kermanensis sp. nov. was discovered in the Faryab region of southern Kerman Province, which has a xeric climate and low vegetation density. The habitat of the species is similar to that of A. cruralis in southeast Iran. It can be assumed that the distribution of the species is more extensive than currently known. More investigation is required in Jazmourian and the surrounding areas. This is the third species of the genus Agamura discovered on the Iranian Plateau.