Sicista kazbegica Sokolov, Baskevich, and Kovalskaya 1986

Sicista kazbegica Sokolov, Baskevich, and Kovalskaya 1986, Zool. Zh., 65 (6): 949.

Type Locality: Georgia, Kazbegi District, 14 km NW Kobi, Suatisi Gap, upper reaches Terek River, subalpine zone, 2200 m.

Vernacular Names: Kazbeg Birch Mouse.

Distribution: Greater Caucasus: southern flanks in N Ossetia region of Russia, and the Kazbegi District on the northern flanks in Georgia (Shenbrot et al. 1995; Sokolov and Baskevich, 1992; Sokolov et al., 1986 b, 1987 a).

Conservation: IUCN – Data Deficient.

Discussion: Sokolov et al. (1986 b) gave karyological and spermatozoal characters that distinguished the Georgian population of this species from S. caucasica and S. kluchorica, and S. armenica (Sokolov and Baskevich, 1988) . Sokolov and Baskevich (1992) reported chromosomal, morphological, and spermatozoal data for a population from the North Ossetia region, which shows some chromosomal differences that they interpreted as simply geographic variation within S. kazbegica . Recognized by Pavlinov and Rossolimo (1998) and reviewed by Gromov and Erbajeva (1995) and Shenbrot et al. (1995). See also comment under Sicista .