| Calabria pine vole | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Arvicolinae |
| Genus: | Microtus |
| Subgenus: | Terricola |
| Species: | M. brachycercus |
| Binomial name | |
| Microtus brachycercus (Lehmann, 1961) | |
The Calabria pine vole (Microtus brachycercus) is a rodent endemic to Italy.
Microtus brachucercus was initially described by Lehmann in 1961 as a subspecies of M. savii , under the name Pitymys savii brachycercus. brachycercus refers to its short tail. [2] Genetic tests in the Calabrian region found, although similar, the X chromosome is larger than that of samples of M. savii found elsewhere in Italy and the Y chromosome is twice the size, leading Galleni in 1994 to designate M. brachycercus as a separate species. [1] [3]
DNA evidence suggests that M. brachycercus separated from M. savii 0.3 to 0.5 million years ago. [4] The two species can hybridize, but the male offspring are infertile and do not produce and sperm. The females are fully fertile, however. [5] [6]
M. brachycercus has two subspecies, M. brachycercus niethammericus and M. brachycercus brachycercus. [7]
The Calabria pine vole is a small vole, weighing about 14 grams (0.49 oz) to 24 grams (0.85 oz). [2] It is very similar in form to Savi's pine vole (M. savii). It can often be distinguished morphologically by a more open anterior loop in the first lower molar, but this can sometimes be found in Savi's pine vole as well. [8]
The Calabrian pine vole is found in central and southern Italy, in a wide variety of habitat types. [7] [1] It was first identified from Calabria, in southern Italy, and the extent of its northward range is still being investigated; earlier sources report the distribution as just southern Italy. [9] [8] It is quite common in its range and the population is stable, so it is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN despite its relatively restricted range. [1]
