Summary. This guide deals with the identification of small mammals (first of all, mouse-like rodents and shrews). Small mammals are a traditional object of investigations for many specialists as well as it is the basic mammalian group registered by standard traps (living traps and Gero’s traps). Main methods of small mammal census are described; advices for using of diagnostic characters and for identification of age and sex of captured animals are given. Key is building using dichotomy system, and it is presented as one main key to families, and 10 special keys to genera and species of each family. Totally, this guide included 7 tables and 45 figures.

Bibliography. Zagorodniuk I. V. Field key to small mammals of Ukraine. Kyiv, 2002, 60 pp. (Proceedings of the Theriological School, volume 5). Table 7, Figs. 45, Liter. 197 items.

whole pdf-version >>> (pdf 1,39 mb)

Contents

Summary. Foreword ... 1–5 >>> (pdf 63 kb)

Part 1. Micromammalia and their census ... 6–13 >>> (pdf 86 kb)
Micromammalia as census group ... 6
Checklist of genera and species ... 7
Main methods of micromammalia census ... 10
Estimation of species' abundance ... 13

Part 2. Diagnostic keys and features ... 14–21 >>> (pdf 236 kb)
Techniques of work with the key ... 14
Meristic features of micromammalia ... 15
Metric features of micromammalia ... 16
Identification of sex and age of animals ... 16
Collecting and labels ... 17
Key to families of micromammalia ... 18

Part 3. Keys to genera and species of non-Muroidea ... 22–31 >>> (pdf 294 kb)
I. Key to genera and species of moles (Talpidae) ... 22
II. Key to genera and species of shrews (Soricidae) ... 23
III. Key to genera and species of dormice (Myoxidae) ... 28
IV. Key to species of birchmice (Sminthidae) ... 29
V. Key to genera and species of jerboas (Dipodidae) ... 31

Part 4. Keys to genera and species of Muroidea ... 32–46 >>> (pdf 426 kb)
VI. Key to genera and species of molerats (Spalacidae) ... 32
VII. Key to genera and species of mice (Muridae) ... 34
VIII. Key to genera and species of hamsters (Cricetidae) ... 39
IX. Key to genera and species of voles (Arvicolidae) ... 40
X. Key to species of common voles (Microtina) ... 43

Part 5. Annexes ... 47–60 >>> (pdf 140 kb)
Body size of micromammalia ... 47
Main monographic issues ... 49
Articles and short communications ... 51

Postscript ... 59

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