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

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