Geometric morphometric analyses of the short-tailed Bandicoot Rat (Nesokia indica) (Rodentia: Muridae) in the north and southeast of Iran

Abstract

The short-tailed Bandicoot Rat, Nesokia indica (Gray, 1830) is a widespread species in the Iranian plateau, except Azerbaijan and Kurdistan provinces. The subspecific status of this species in Iran is controversial. Five subspecies (N. i. indica, N. i. huttoni, N. i. buxtoni, N. i. insularis and N. i. legendrei) are defined based on external morphological characters. Morphological differences among seven populations of N. indica from Mashhad, Tabas, Ferdows, Torbatjam, Bojnord, Bampor, and Gorgan were evaluated using multivariate, landmark-based geometric morphometrics for the right mandible and the elliptic Fourier method for the first lower molar. The results showed a highly significant shape variation between short-tailed Bandicoot Rats from the south and northeast of Iran. Based on these analyses, two subspecies were identified: N. i. indica from the southeast and N. i. huttoni from the northeast of Iran.