New data on the taxonomy of the Genus Apodemus Kaup, 1829 (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Turkey: A geometric Morphometric Approach

Morphometric relationships among 338 specimens of species of the genus Apodemus representing 17 localities and their neighbourhoods from North Anatolia and Turkish Thrace were explored. Taxonomic relations of Apodemus were analysed by using outline geometric morphometrics based on the first upper molar for the first time, thus aiming to have a better understanding of size and shape variations separately. Apodemus agrarius (subgenus Apodemus) was identified as a more differentiated species in terms of shape analysis. Apodemus mystacinus (subgenus Karstomys) differentiation was especially obvious for molar size but clustered close together with species of Sylvaemus in the morphospace. The outcome of this study confirms the presence of taxonomic complexity among species of the subgenus Sylvaemus