A 2017 paper reported two isolated populations between Silifke and Erdemli in southern Turkey from a 2013–2016 survey; capture sites ranged from sea level to 510 m.
In the Silifke series described in 1978, the upper back and tail were gray with a faint violet cast. Hair on the head and nape had the same color, while spine-like bristles extended along the back. The sides were sand-beige and the belly yellowish white, with a distinct boundary. In this series, the tail was shorter than the head-and-body length.
In the 2013–2016 survey, most captures came from a mosaic of rocky ground and maquis, the Mediterranean scrub. A few mice were trapped in stone walls between agricultural fields; the authors identify these walls as habitat used by the species.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.