Rhombomys opimus (Lichtenstein, 1823)

Common Name and Size Classification

Rhombomys opimus, commonly called the great gerbil, is the largest species of gerbil.

Head and Body Length

Great gerbils have a head and body length ranging from 15 to 20 cm, which is 6 to 8 inches.

Skull Trait

Their skulls have a distinct trait: each incisor has two grooves.

Claw Adaptation

They have large front claws adapted for burrowing.

Habitat Type

Great gerbils live in arid habitats, most often sandy or clay deserts.

Geographic Range

Their range includes Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Social Structure

Great gerbils live in family groups, with one burrow occupied per family.

Burrow Structure

Their burrows can be quite extensive, with separate chambers built for nests and food storage.

Winter Activity

Great gerbils spend much more time in their burrows during winter, but they do not hibernate.

Activity Pattern and Diet

They are mainly diurnal, and their diet consists mostly of vegetable matter.

Social Behavior and Lifespan

They are often colonial, and their typical lifespan is 2 to 4 years.

Burrow Complex Identification

Complex great gerbil burrow systems have a distinct area of cleared soil, so these complexes can be seen and mapped from aerial photos and satellite images.

Burrow Status Assessment via Satellite

Satellite imagery can also be used to tell the difference between inhabited and abandoned great gerbil burrows.

Disease Reservoir Role

Great gerbils are known reservoirs for Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, and Leishmania major, the parasite that causes zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Human-Wildlife Conflict

They are also considered crop pests, and they have been linked to worsening erosion.