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Abstract

Mus cypriacus is one of three small palaeoendemic mammals that have survived the Mediterranean islands’ anthropization.
This species, endemic to Cyprus, was described in 2006 and stands out as one of the last mammal species to have been
discovered in Europe. Despite scarce data on its genetics, ecology, and life-history traits, Mus cypriacus is assessed as Least
Concern LC in the IUCN Red List, partly due to its morphological similarity with the sympatric house mouse that prevented
earlier identifcation. Our study uses mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate this small rodent's population
genetic structure and diversity. Our analysis did not identify any population genetic structure and suggested a high genetic
diversity across Cyprus. When inferring habitat preference using sample locations, it appeared that M. cypriacus utilizes a
diverse variety of habitats, covering more than 80% of the island. Although these results are encouraging for the conservation
status of the species, they still need to be cautiously applied as potential threats may arise due to increasing habitat destruction
and changes in land use. Consequently, our encouraging results should be applied judiciously. Additional ecological data are
urgently needed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this inconspicuous endemic species.