Pattern of shape variation in the eastern African gerbils of the genus Gerbilliscus (Rodentia, Muridae): Environmental correlations and implication for taxonomy and systematics

We used geometric morphometrics to investigate the adaptive value of morphological changes and to elucidate the systematic relationships and taxonomic status of the Gerbilliscus species of east Africa.

Gerbilliscus has been in recent years the subject of new molecular and karyological investigations that shed new light on the evolutionary processes of this taxon. However, the patterns of phenotypic diversification of Gerbilliscus remain poorly understood. Furthermore, the molecular phylogenetic analyses posed new questions concerning the systematics and taxonomy of the whole genus and revealed the possible occurrence of cryptic species and hence the need to carry out a taxonomic revision.