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Spiny mice of the Acomys cahirinus group display a complex geographical structure in the Eastern Mediterranean area, as shown by previous genetic and chromosomal studies. To better elucidate the evolutionary relationships between insular populations from Crete and Cyprus and continental populations from North Africa and Cilicia in Turkey, genetic and morphometric variations were investigated, based on mitochondrial D-loop sequences, and the size and shape of the first upper molar. The Cypriot and the Cilician populations show idiosyncratic divergence in molar size and shape, while Cretan populations present a geographical structure with at least three differentiated subpopulations, as shown by congruent distributions of haplogroups, Robertsonian fusions and morphometric variation. A complex history of multiple introductions is probably responsible for this structure, and insular isolation coupled with habitat shift should have further promoted a pronounced and rapid morphological evolution in molar size and shape on Crete and Cyprus.

Later Kummerloeve (1975) reported it as a member of the cahirinus-dimidiatus group. However, Spitzenberger (1978) compared morphological peculiarities of specimens from Silifke with those of A. nesiotes from Cyprus and A. minous from Crete and classified the Silifke specimens as Acomys cilicicus based on the differences in incisors, molar characteristics, hind foot, and body measurements. Though this recognition, Doğramacı (1989) and Harrison and Bates (1991) reported the species in Turkey as A.

Molecular studies provide very useful information on predicting the evolutionary history of species, species ecology and for describing new species. Dryomys laniger is an alpine species that is endemic to Anatolia, inhabiting high rocky areas. Its known distribution consists of fragmented and isolated populations. In order to determine the evolutionary history of the species, a phylogenetic tree was created with one mtDNA and two nuDNA. Thirty-one samples were collected from 6 populations of Dryomys laniger distributed in Anatolia. Among these 6 populations, Subaşı plateau (Antalya) and Çiçekliboyun plateau (Niğde) populations are new distribution records for the species. According to the result of this study the genetic distance between Eastern lineage and Western lineage is 7%. Beside this genetic distance, two clades are morphologically significantly different from each other. Based on the differences, the Eastern lineage was defined as a new Dryomis species. The two lineages appear in the evolutionary tree as two monophyletic lineages and no common haplotype is shared between these lineages. According to the data available in the literature, and provided in this study, the westernmost distribution limit of Dryomys laniger is around the Subaşı plateau (Antalya), and the easternmost distribution limit is probably the Saimbeyli-Tufanbeyli line. The distribution area of the new Dryomys species is Tahtalı Mountains on the Adana-Kahramanmaraş border in the west, and the Erzurum region in the east. This study strongly suggests the importance of Anatolian high mountain ecosystems in terms of biodiversity, their potential to host new species, and the need for careful conservation.

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