The desert hamster Phodopus roborovskii (Satunin, 1903) (Rodentia, Cricetidae) from north-western Tibetan plateau, Ladakh, India: an addition to the mammalian fauna of the Indian subcontinent

During a systematic survey of the small mammals in the relatively unexplored north-western regions of the Tibetan plateau in India, we captured and identified the desert hamster Phodopus roborovskii using molecular phylogenetic methods. We also provide revised distributional estimates for this species using niche modelling (Maxent and 19 bioclimatic variables), taking into account sampling bias. We evaluated suitable habitats for the species, identifying regions in the Trans-Himalayas that may harbour this species. This study improves the knowledge of the desert hamster’s range and is a new record and an addition to the Indian sub-continental mammalian fauna, ~750 km southward extension from its known range.