Sicista armenica Sokolov & Baskevich 1988

The Armenian birch mouse (Sicista armenica) is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae.

Description

It is a small rodent, like the mouse, the average weight of 10 g and up to 9 cm long, excluding the semi-prehensile tail, which slightly exceeds the length of the body. The body is brown, darker in the upper region.

Biology

The species shows nocturnal and feeds on seeds, berries and insects. Shifts in the ground with small jumps and can easily climb on the bushes and trees due to its semi-prehensile tail. The nest, oval shaped, is made of plant remains in a shallow hole dug by the animal itself.

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to Armenia, found in mixed forests of coniferous and broadleaf trees in the area upstream of the river Marmarik.

Status and conservation

The Zoological Society of London, on the basis of evolutionary uniqueness and smallness of the population, considers Armenian birch mouse one of the 100 species of mammals at greatest risk of extinction.

References

• Holden, M.E.; Musser, G.G. (2005). "Family Dipodidae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 871–893. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.