Sicista armenica Sokolov & Baskevich 1988
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Dipodidae
Sicista
Sicista armenica

description: 7.
Armenian Birch Mouse
Sicista armenica
French: Siciste dArménie / German: Armenien-Birkenmaus / Spanish: Ratén listado de Armenia
Taxonomy. Sicista armenica Sokolov & Baskevich, 1988,
2200 m, subalpine zone, upper reaches of Marmarik River, near Ankavan, Pambakskiy Ridge, Lesser Caucasus, north-central Armenia.
Western Montane Species Group. Although endemic to Lesser Caucasus, S. armenica 1s closely related to three species endemic to Greater Caucasus: S. caucasica, S. kluchorica, and S. kazbegica. Sicista armenica was described in 1988 and diagnosed mainly by karyologic traits and spermatozoal and glans penis morphology. Monotypic.
Distribution. NC Armenia, known only from the Pambak and Tsakhkuniats ridges in the Hrazdan River basin; published records from Syunik Province have not been confirmed.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 66-2 mm (n = 3), tail 98-3-101-5 mm, ear 9-4-10-3 mm, hindfoot 16-6-18-3 mm; weight 6-4—6-7 g. Dorsum of the Armenian Birch Mouseis reddish brown or grayish/reddish, without mid-dorsal stripes; venteris grayish white. Sides of body and cheeks appear paler and brighter due to absence of black-tipped guard hairs. Hindfootis long, ¢.26% of head-body length. Tail is relatively long, ¢.155% of head-body length, and bicolored, darker above and paler beneath. Condylobasal lengths are 18-2-18-8 mm, zygomatic breadths are 9-3-9-8 mm, interorbital breadth is 4 mm (no variation), and lengths of upper tooth rows are 3-2-3-3 mm. Surface of glans penis of all four species of Sicista endemic to the Caucasus is covered with small keratinized spines but lacks larger spines or penile spikes jutting out of terminus that characterize species in the Northern and Steppe species groups. Diploid numberis 2n = 36. External and cranial measurements were taken from three adult males (type series) published by V. E. Sokolov and M. I. Baskevich in 1988.
Habitat. Moist subalpine forest clearings and meadows covered with tall grass and dense herbage bordering forest at elevations of 2000-2200 m. Armenian Birch Mice from type locality near head of the Marmarik River were captured on slope with tall grass near timberline.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Armenian Birch Mouse includes fruit, seeds, and insects, according to S. K. Dahl in 1954. Sokolov and Baskevich reported that captive individuals ate grasshoppers, oat flakes, raisins, apricot pulp, and walnut kernels.
Breeding. Type series of the Armenian Birch Mouse consists of three reproductively mature males with sperm in testes captured between the end ofJune and beginning of July. Testes lengths were 4-3-5-4 mm, and width was 3-6 mm.
Activity patterns. The Armenian Birch Mouse is likely nocturnal and crepuscular.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Armenian Birch Mice are rare according to Baskevich in 2000. She captured no individuals during a small mammal survey in 1980 and recorded a relative frequently of 0-6 ind/100 cone trap-days during a later survey in 1986; Armenian Birch Mice comprised 3:6% of all small terrestrial mammals (rodents and shrews) captured.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Armenian Birch Mouseis also listed in the Red Book ofArmenia by L.. Sahakyan in 2010 due to its small distribution of less than 5000 km?, fewer than five collection localities, and continued decline of suitable habitat outside protected areas; population trends were classified as decreasing. Greatest threats to the Armenian Birch Mouse are human activities such as overgrazing and agricultural cutting oftall grass, according to Baskevich in 2000, Sahakyan in 2010, and S. Baloyan and colleagues in 2015. Protected areas are needed to enhance conservation of the Armenian Birch Mouse.
Bibliography. Baloyan et al. (2015), Baskevich (1996, 2000), Baskevich et al. (2004, 2016), Dahl (1954), Sahakyan (2010), Shenbrot et al. (1995, 2008), Sokolov & Baskevich (1988), Sokolov et al. (1981).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Sminthidae, pp. 9-48 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 42-43, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6603557