PATTERNS OF SPATIAL-ORGANIZATION AND BEHAVIOR OF PYGERETMUS-PUMILIO KERR, 1792 (DIPODIDAE, RODENTIA) - RADIOTELEMETRY STUDY IN THE DAGESTANDESERT, RUSSIA

A radiotelemetry study of the home range area and overlap of a herbivo rous jerboa, Pygeretmus pumilio Kerr, was conducted in a desert of nor thern Dagestan, Russia, during its spring breeding season. A high degr ee of mobility in this population was observed. Mean home range area w as not significantly different between males and females in either the full moon or new moon tracking periods. In full moon, jerboas respond ed to detection by fleeing or escaping down a nearby shelter burrow wi th significantly greater frequency. Home range overlap between neighbo urs varied considerably with no obvious indication of sex-specific ter ritoriality. Both sexes tended to escape social contacts. P. pumilio m oved slowly while grazing. They were capable of extremely rapid locomo tion but did so only when startled or pursued.