A new species of mole rat, nannospalax munzuri sp. N., and the karyotype of nannospalax tuncelicus (coşkun, 1996) (rodentia: Spalacidae) in Eastern Anatolia

Two different forms of Nannospalax have been found in the central part of eastern Anatolia. The one has a karyotype of 2n = 54, NF = 74, and NFa = 70, and was found in the Bingöl, Elazığ and Tunceli provinces. Their karyotypes consist of 9 of pairs metacentric and submetacentric autosomes and of 17 pairs of acrocentric autosomes. The X chromosomes are largesized submetacentrics and the Y chromosomes are small acrocentrics. This form corresponds to the description of Nannospalax tuncelicus (Coşkun, 1996). The second form is morphologically and karyologically clearly distinct. The parietals are trapezoid (not square-shaped as in N. tuncelicus), palatal foramina are large and situated in a deep groove (not minute and situated in a shallow groove as in N. tuncelicus), and the upper molars have only one root (not three as in N. tuncelicus). The karyotype of this form is 2n = 58, NF = 68, NFa = 64, and the autosomal set has 4 pairs of biarmed and 24 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes. The X chromosomes are small and biarmed, and the Y chromosomes are small acrocentrics. This form is described as a new species, Nannospalax munzuri sp.n.