East European vole

Last updated

East European vole
Microtus levis%3F from Luhanshchyna.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Microtus
Subgenus: Microtus
Species:
M. mystacinus
Binomial name
Microtus mystacinus
(de Filippi, 1865)
Synonyms

Microtus rossiaemeridionalis Ognev, 1924
Microtus epiroticusOndrias, 1966
Microtus levisMiller, 1908

Contents

The East European vole (Microtus mystacinus) is a species of vole (rodent) in the family Cricetidae. [2]

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Iran, Svalbard (accidentally introduced from 1920), [3] North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and Norway.

Taxonomy

On Svalbard, they were first discovered in 1960 in the Grumantbyen area, and were thought to be the common vole until a genetic analysis correctly identified them in 1990. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<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">Bavarian pine vole</span> Species of rodent

The Bavarian pine vole is a vole from the Austrian, Italian, and Bavarian Alps of Europe. It lives in moist meadows at elevations of 600 to 1,000 meters.

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

The taiga vole is a large vole found in northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. The name "taiga vole" comes from its living in the boreal taiga zone. It is also sometimes called the yellow-cheeked vole or chestnut-cheeked vole because of the rusty-yellow color on its face around its vibrisae (whiskers); The taiga voles derive their name from these features: "xantho" is Greek for yellow and "gnathus" is Greek for jaw. It is typically much larger than most other North American voles, especially those from the genus Microtus.

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

The long-tailed vole, in some areas known as the San Bernardino long-tailed vole, is a small vole found in western North America. They have short ears and a long tail. Their fur is gray brown with light gray underparts. They are around 18 cm (7.1 in) long with an 8 cm (3.1 in) tail and weigh about 50 g (1.8 oz).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-tailed field vole</span> Species of rodent

The short-tailed field vole, short-tailed vole, or simply field vole is a grey-brown vole, around 10 cm in length, with a short tail. It is one of the most common mammals in Europe, with a range extending from the Atlantic coast to Lake Baikal. These voles are found in moist grassy habitats, such as woodland, marsh or on river banks. Although they make shallow burrows, they usually build nests above ground. They are an important food source for owls and some other predators and their population size tends to peak and trough cyclically. Field voles breed prolifically, mainly in summer, but often all year round, even under snow. Females produce up to seven litters a year, each averaging from four to six young which are weaned after about fourteen days. The short-tailed field vole is both widespread and common and is listed as being of "Least Concern" by the IUCN.

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

The common vole is a European rodent.

<i>Arvicola</i> Genus of mammals (water voles)

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. 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.

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

The Tatra pine vole, also called the Tatra vole or Tatra ground vole, is a species of vole endemic to the Carpathian mountain range in Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Romania. Two subspecies have been recognised. M. t. tatricus occupies the western part of the range in Slovakia and Poland, and M. t. zykovi is found in Ukraine and Romania.

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

The California vole is a type of vole which lives throughout much of California and part of southwestern Oregon. It is also known as the "California meadow mouse", a misnomer as this species is a vole, not a mouse. It averages 172 mm (6.8 in) in length although this length varies greatly between subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beach vole</span> Subspecies of rodent

The beach vole or Muskeget vole is a rodent in the family Cricetidae. This close relative of the eastern meadow vole is endemic to the 0.87 km2 Muskeget Island, Massachusetts. Due to its relatively short period of reproductive isolation, there is debate over the beach vole's designation as a subspecies of M. pennsylvanicus.

The Mediterranean pine vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in France, Andorra, Portugal, and Spain where it lives in a network of shallow tunnels.

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

The creeping vole, sometimes known as the Oregon meadow mouse, is a small rodent in the family Cricetidae. Ranging across the Pacific Northwest of North America, it is found in forests, grasslands, woodlands, and chaparral environments. The small-tailed, furry, brownish-gray mammal was first described in the scientific literature in 1839, from a specimen collected near the mouth of the Columbia River. The smallest vole in its range, it weighs around 19 g. At birth, they weigh 1.6 g, are naked, pink, unable to open their eyes, and the ear flaps completely cover the ear openings. Although not always common throughout their range, there are no major concerns for their survival as a species.

The Jalapan pine vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, found only in Mexico. The scientific name quasiater translates as "almost black", while the common name refers to the city of Jalapa, close to where the first specimen was collected.

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

The European pine vole, also known as the common pine vole, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is native to much of Europe and parts of Asia.

Svalbard is an Arctic, wilderness archipelago comprising the northernmost part of Norway. It is mostly uninhabited, with only about 3,000 people, yet covers an area of 61,020 square kilometres (23,560 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Svalbard</span> Svalbards agriculture

Agriculture in Svalbard – the archipelago containing the world's northernmost permanently inhabited settlements – has a short history, and remains a minor economic factor, but has nonetheless had a culturally and socially significant role, as well as an ecologic impact. Svalbard is home to the Global Seed Vault, which serves to protect the world's biological and agricultural diversity. Polar Permaculture Solutions, AS was formed in January 2015. Polar Permaculture has been focused on producing locally grown food in town, and also with composting food waste.

References

  1. Zagorodnyuk, I.; Henttonen, H.; Amori, G.; Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B.; Yigit, N.; Mitsainas, G. & Palomo, L. (2021) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Microtus levis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T13454A197293248. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T13454A197293248.en . Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  2. Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1002. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. 1 2 "Sibling Vole (Microtus levis)". The Norwegian Polar Institute. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  4. Karl Fredga; Maarit Jaarola; Rolf Anker Ims; Harald Steen (December 1990). "The 'common vole' in Svalbard identified as Microtus epiroticus by chromosome analysis". Polar Research. 8 (2): 283–290. doi:10.3402/polar.v8i2.6818.