Cheng's jird

Cheng's jird (Meriones chengi) is a medium-sized rodent in the family Muridae, named in honour of the Chinese zoologist Professor Tso-hsin Cheng. It is found only in the Turpan Depression of eastern Xinjiang, China, in mountain regions and semi-desert with dry grassland above about 1000 metres. Adults measure roughly 131 to 150 millimetres from head to body, with dark brown fur above, a pure white underside and a relatively short tail that ends in a tuft of hairs. It is nocturnal and terrestrial and lives in colonies, digging burrows at the base of shrubs. Some researchers place it within the Meriones meridianus species complex. The IUCN currently lists it as Least Concern despite its small range.