Abstract
We mapped the distribution of three sibling Apodemus species in Anatolia: Apodemus witherbyi, A. uralensis and A. flavicollis . Apodemus witherbyi is the most widespread and A. uralensis has the smallest range, being restricted to the Black Sea Mountains as far west as Mt. Uludağ. A. flavicollis inhabits the Black Sea Mountains, Aegean Anatolia, and Taurus, and is the most common species in Hatay. In a sample of 1,885 small mammals collected throughout Anatolia, the three Apodemus species contributed 51.6% to the total rodent number and 78.2% to all Murinae combined. They were by far the most abundant murins in the Black Sea Mountains (90.3%), where all three species are broadly sympatric. We provide a determination key for the identification of these species in Anatolia.
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