Thin sand rat

The thin sand rat, also called the lesser sand rat (Psammomys vexillaris), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. According to the Wikipedia article that serves as this entry's source, it has also been called the pale sand rat, a name based on work published by Oldfield Thomas in 1925. It is found in Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, in subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and intermittent salt lakes. It was previously classified as a subspecies of the fat sand rat, but differences in size and coat colour, together with recent molecular evidence, suggest that the two are separate species. The article adds that the thin sand rat may be a natural reservoir for the disease leishmaniasis.