Arvicola

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Water voles
Temporal range: Early Pleistocene - Recent
Arvicola terrestris.jpg
Arvicola amphibius
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Tribe: Arvicolini
Genus: Arvicola
Lacépède, 1799
Type species
Mus amphibius
Species

Arvicola amphibius
Arvicola sapidus
Arvicola scherman

Contents

Water voles are large voles in the genus Arvicola. They are found in both aquatic and dry habitat through Europe and much of northern Asia. A water vole found in Western North America was historically considered a member of this genus, but has been shown to be more closely related to members of the genus Microtus . [1] [2] Head and body lengths are 12–22 cm, tail lengths are 6.5–12.5 cm, and their weights are 70–250 g. The animals may exhibit indeterminate growth. They are thick-furred and have hairy fringes on their feet that improve their swimming ability.

A 2021 phylogenetic study using mtDNA found that Arvicola may not belong with the rest of its namesake tribe Arvicolini, but rather forms a sister group to the tribe Lagurini. [3]

Species

There are three species as listed by the IUCN:

The American Society of Mammalogists recognizes four species, with A. italicus and A. persicus being split from A. amphibius, and A. scherman being synonymous with A. amphibius: [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European water vole</span> Species of rodent

The European water vole or northern water vole, is a semi-aquatic rodent. It is often informally called the water rat, though it only superficially resembles a true rat. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep brown fur, chubby faces and short fuzzy ears; unlike rats their tails, paws and ears are covered with hair.

Water vole may refer to:

<i>Microtus</i> Genus of rodents

Microtus is a genus of voles found in North America, Europe and northern Asia. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. They are stout rodents with short ears, legs and tails. They eat green vegetation such as grasses and sedges in summer, and grains, seeds, root and bark at other times. The genus is also called "meadow voles".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwestern water vole</span> Species of rodent

The southwestern water vole or southern water vole is a large amphibious vole native to most of France and southwestwards through Spain and Portugal. It is listed on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable. Although historically considered to be a member of the same species as the European water vole, Musser and Carleton (2005) considered it distinct enough to warrant full species status. It is threatened for many of the same reasons as the European water vole, and a campaign is currently underway to seek protection for the species, both at a national level and at European Union level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arvicolini</span> Tribe of rodents

Arvicolini is a tribe of voles in the subfamily Arvicolinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montane water vole</span> Species of rodent

The montane water vole is a species of vole found throughout Europe, from the mountains of northern Spain through central Europe and eastwards through to central Romania. Initially regarded as a species, it was reassigned as a subspecies of terrestris before being again designated as a species by Panteleyev in 2000. The American Society of Mammalogists treats it as a synonym of Arvicola amphibius.

References

  1. ↑ Conroy, Chris J.; Cook, Joseph A. (2000). "Molecular systematics of a Holarctic rodent (Microtus: Muridae)". Journal of Mammalogy. 81 (2): 344–359. doi: 10.1644/1545-1542(2000)081<0344:MSOAHR>2.0.CO;2 . ISSN   0022-2372.
  2. ↑ Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Genus Arvicola". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. ↑ Abramson, Natalia I.; Bodrov, Semyon Yu; Bondareva, Olga V.; Genelt-Yanovskiy, Evgeny A.; Petrova, Tatyana V. (2021-11-19). "A mitochondrial genome phylogeny of voles and lemmings (Rodentia: Arvicolinae): Evolutionary and taxonomic implications". PLOS ONE. 16 (11): e0248198. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248198 . ISSN   1932-6203. PMC   8604340 . PMID   34797834.
  4. ↑ Batsaikhan, N.; Henttonen, H.; Meinig, H.; Shenbrot, G.; Bukhnikashvili, A.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsain, G.; Palomo, L. (2021) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Arvicola amphibius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T2149A197271401. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T2149A197271401.en .
  5. ↑ Rigaux, P.; Vaslin, M.; Noblet, J.F.; Amori, G.; Palomo, L.J. (2008). "Arvicola sapidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T2150A9290712. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T2150A9290712.en .
  6. ↑ Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Arvicola scherman". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136766A115519839. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T136766A22358636.en .
  7. ↑ Mammal Diversity Database (2023). "Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.11) [Data set]". Zenodo. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7830771.

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