[医] 沙土鼠(南非传播鼠疫的啮齿动物)

[ noun ]
small Old World burrowing desert rodent with long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping
<noun.animal>

Gerbil \Ger"bil\ (j[~e]r"b[i^]l), Gerbille \Ger`bille"\
(zh[asl]r`b[-e]l"), n. [F. gerbille. Cf. {Jerboa}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) One of several species of small, jumping,
murine burrowing rodents, of the genus {Gerbillus} and
related genera of the subfamily {Gerbillinae}. They have
long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping. In
their leaping powers they resemble the jerboa. They
inhabit Africa, India, and Southern Europe.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

2. (Zo["o]l.) A rodent ({Meriones unguiculatus}) of the
subfamily {Gerbillinae} that is commonly kept as a pet; it
is also called the {tamarisk gerbil}, {sand rat} and
{jird}. Its natural habitats are the dry regions of
Northern Africa and Asia.
[PJC]