Macedonian mouse

The Macedonian mouse (Mus macedonicus) is a small rodent of the family Muridae, in the order Rodentia. It occurs across the southern Balkans, Asia Minor and the Caucasus, and through the Middle East from Israel and Jordan east to Iran. Together with the house mouse, the steppe mouse and the Algerian mouse it belongs to a Palearctic group of Mus species. An adult weighs about 15 grams and is nocturnal. Its fur varies widely in colour across its range: specimens studied in Turkey ranged from dark brown to pale light brown and dark reddish brown on the back, with a sharp line along the flanks separating the back from a whitish, white, yellowish white or reddish white belly. The ears carry tiny white hairs, the tail is dark brown above and lighter below, and the soles of the feet are bare while their upper surfaces bear white hairs. Mice from Israel are smaller than those from further north. Laboratory work shows seasonal physiological adaptation: under short photoperiods the mice gain body mass and resist cold better, while long photoperiods improve their tolerance of heat.