Craniometric variability of Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae Thomas, 1906) in Western Transbaikalia

Craniometric variability of Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) populations in Western Transbaikalia was examined, with using nine biometric measurement of the skull. Bland morphological differentiation in examined populations was detected. Using discriminant analysis, we distinguished few quite isolated populations in Western Transbaikalia. Individuals from Selenginskoe midland and the Holy Nose Peninsula are more distinctive, and populations from Vitim plateau mostly adjacent to populations of Selenginskoe midland. The most differentiated populations are more isolated populations from Holy Nose peninsula (Lake Baikal). The remoteness of the considerable distance and isolation of the peninsula, with its characteristic climatic conditions have affected the accumulation of biometric features and the degree of variability of Apodemus peninsuale.