Sicista Gray, 1827 . In Griffith et al., Anim. Kingdom, 5:228.

TYPE SPECIES: Mus subtilis Pallas, 1773 .

SYNONYMS: Sminthus (see Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1951).

COMMENTS: Reviewed by Ognev (1963b). Karyological research and systematic problems in the genus reviewed by Sokolov et al. (1987b). Several species in the S. concolor complex ( S. armenica, S. caucasico, S. caudata, S. kazbegica, S. kluchorica, S. tianshanica) have been distinguished by Sokolov and colleagues primarily by karyotypic and spermatozoal differences. These species are provisionally recognized here, but need further documentation and corroborative data sets to firmly establish their specific status.

Myology, in context of adaptive and phylogenetic significance, studied by Klingener (1964). Comparative myology of pelvic girdle studied by Fokin (1971).