Bray, Timothy C.Bennett, Nigel CharlesMohammed, Osama B.Alagaili, Abdulaziz N.2014-04-012013-11Timothy C. Bray, Nigel C. Bennett, Osama B. Mohammed & Abdulaziz N. Alagaili (2013) On the genetic diversity of spiny mice (genus Acomys) and gerbils (genus Gerbillus) in the Arabian Peninsula, Zoology in the Middle East, 59:4, 283-288, DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2013.8681270939-7140 (print)2326-2680 (online)10.1080/09397140.2013.868127http://hdl.handle.net/2263/37339Using non-destructive sampling we provide further genetic characterisations for spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus/cahirinus) and gerbils (Gerbillus sp.) in three regions in Saudi Arabia. All individuals were sequenced for a fragment of the cytochrome b gene, and compared against available conspecifics and closely related taxa. We confirm the existence of a second Acomys dimidiatus/cahirinus lineage specific to the Arabian Peninsula as seen previously. The Arabian Gerbillus nanus is shown to group with Middle Eastern rather than African conspecifics. A second cryptic Gerbillus lineage was also sampled across multiple locations, which may be an uncharacterised G. dasyurus.en© 2013 Taylor & Francis. This is an electronic version of an article published in Zoology in the Middle East, vol. 59, no.4, pp. 283-288, 2013. doi :10.1080/09397140.2013.868127 Zoology in the Middle East is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tzme20AcomysGenetic diversityGerbillusRodentsSaudi ArabiaPostprint Article