Book Fauna Palaestina 4 Year 2014 By Prof Dr Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf von Jaffa ISBN 978-9950-383-77-7

Mus musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007 :
A New House Mouse Subspecies from
the Gaza Strip, Palestine
By: Dr. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa
Abstract: A new subspecies of house mouse of the genus Mus
(Rodentia: Murinae) from the Gaza Strip, Palestine is described.
This subspecies is distinguished from the other subspecies of
Mus by its light and dark brown colouration with white big
patches on the fur. The new subspecies was named Mus
musculus gazaensis Khalaf, 2007.
On 29.05.2007 I received an e-mail (with attached photos) from
Dr. Abdel Fattah Nazmi Abd Rabou from the Biology
Department, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
The 2 photos showed a live ―small rodent‖ from the Gaza Strip,
Palestine. Dr. Abd Rabou asked me ―for classification‖. He wrote
that these photos which were taken by him show a ―small rodent
having white spots on its back‖.
Later on 06.06.2007 Dr. Abd Rabou wrote that this ―patched
species was caught in Beit Lahia, North Gaza in an agricultural
field in 2005.‖
My first impression when I saw the photos, was that of a spiny
mouse (Acomys spp.), because it seemed like it was having the stiff
guard hairs on its coat; but this assumption proved to be wrong. I
also thought that it could be a hybrid or a mutant rodent.
272