New record on Pigmy Field Mouse (muridae, rodentia) from northeast Iran

Abstract In this study the field mice of eastern Elborz in Golestan province were examined using molecular, morphologic and morphometric characters. RFLP analysis indicates the presence of three different haplotypes called as A, B and C. Taxonomic determination of the specimens of the haplotyes shows that haplotypes A, B and C represents three different species, A. cf. uralensis, A. cf. hyrcanicus and A. witherbeyi, respectively. Two latter species were previously reported from the studied area. However, the discovery of A. cf. uralensis in this region extends the eastern border of the distribution of this species up to eastern Elbruz and confirms the sympatric occurrence of A. uralensis and A. hyrcanicus in the Golestan province.