Indian gerbil

The Indian gerbil (Tatera indica), also known as the antelope rat, is a rodent of the family Muridae found in western and southern Asia, from Syria east through to Bangladesh. It is the only species in the genus Tatera; the African gerbils of the genus Gerbilliscus were historically placed there as well. The head and body measure 17 to 20 cm and the tail 20 to 21 cm. The upperparts, including the whole head, are light brown or light brown with a rusty wash, and the underparts are white. The tail is fully furred, dark blackish brown with greyish sides and a prominent black tuft at the tip, and the body fur is soft and sparse underneath. The eyes are large and prominent, and the animal has a distinctive bounding gait when it runs. It is omnivorous and is known to eat grains, seeds, plants, roots and insects, and even reptiles and small birds and mammals that it can catch.