Burrow structure of two gerbil species of Thar desert, India

We examined the seasonal changes in burrow structure of Indian gerbil Tatera indica (Hradwicke, 1807) and Indian desert gerbil Meriones hurrianae Jerdon, 1867 by excavating their natural burrows in the Thar desert of India. Burrow system of T. indica is of a simple "Y" shaped type with one or two surface openings whereas M. hurrianae tend to congregate in complicated and extensive burrow systems with numerous surface openings. T. indica showed a seasonal shift in maximum burrow depth, i.e. from 35 cm in winter to 45-50 cm in summer.M. hurrianae did not exhibit any seasonal change in burrow depth.