Tree vole

Last updated

Tree voles
RedTreeVole23.jpg
Red tree vole, (Arborimus longicaudus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Tribe: Phenacomyini
Genus: Arborimus
Taylor, 1915
Type species
Phenacomys longicaudus
Species

Arborimus albipes
Arborimus longicaudus
Arborimus pomo

The genus Arborimus is a group of voles found in western North America. The genus name is Latin for "tree mouse". Some sources include this genus with the heather voles, genus Phenacomys, and both are classified in the tribe Phenacomyini. [1]

These animals live in forested areas and two species live in trees. They are small rodents with short ears and long legs. They are primarily herbivorous. Predators include owls and mustelids.

Species in this genus are notable for their extremely unusual life history; females have an arboreal lifestyle, living up to 30 meters above the ground in trees, while males (despite being capable of climbing) burrow underground or live in piles of vegetation. They live apart for most of the year aside from during the breeding season, when males climb the trees to mate with the females and build nests. Following the breeding season, males climb back to the ground, leaving the females to rear the offspring in the trees. [2] [3] [4]

Classification

The complete list of species is:

Based on mitochondrial DNA, A. pomo and A. albipes are more closely related to one another than either are to A. longicaudus. [5] [6] This is in contrast to previous suggestions of A. albipes being the most basal species in the genus. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coati</span> Variety of mammal

Coatis, also known as coatimundis, are members of the family Procyonidae in the genera Nasua and Nasuella. They are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The name "coatimundi" comes from the Tupian languages of Brazil, where it means "lone coati". Locally in Belize, the coati is known as "quash".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree-kangaroo</span> Genus of marsupials

Tree-kangaroos are marsupials of the genus Dendrolagus, adapted for arboreal locomotion. They inhabit the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and far northeastern Queensland, along with some of the islands in the region. All tree-kangaroos are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat destruction. They are the only true arboreal macropods.

Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars. They are sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine ibex</span> Species of mammal

The Alpine ibex, also known as the steinbock, is a species of wild goat that lives in the Alps of Europe. It is one of seven species in the genus Carpa and its closest living relative is the Iberian ibex. The Alpine ibex is a sexually dimorphic species: males are larger and carry longer horns than females. Its coat colour is brownish grey. Alpine ibexes tend to live in steep, rough terrain and open alpine meadows. Their sharp hooves allow them to scale their mountainous habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray fox</span> Species of canid (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

The gray fox, or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener, the diminutive island fox of the California Channel Islands, are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be genetically basal to all other living canids. Its species name cinereoargenteus means "ashen silver".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arvicolinae</span> Subfamily of rodents

The Arvicolinae are a subfamily of rodents that includes the voles, lemmings, and muskrats. They are most closely related to the other subfamilies in the Cricetidae. Some authorities place the subfamily Arvicolinae in the family Muridae along with all other members of the superfamily Muroidea. Some refer to the subfamily as the Microtinae or rank the taxon as a full family, the Arvicolidae.

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

The North American water vole or just water vole is the largest North American vole. It is found in the northwestern United States and southern parts of western Canada. This animal has been historically considered a member of genus Arvicola, but molecular evidence demonstrates that it is more closely related to North American Microtus species. Water voles are on the USDA Forest Service Region 2 sensitive species list because they maintain very small populations and there is high concern that their required habitat may be declining.

<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">Heather vole</span> Genus of rodents

The genus Phenacomys is a group of North American voles. The genus name comes from the Greek for "imposter mouse."

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

The western heather vole is a small vole found in western North America. Until recently, the eastern heather vole,, was considered to be a subspecies. They have short ears with stiff orange hair inside and a short thin tail which is paler underneath. Their long soft fur is brownish with silver grey underparts. They are roughly 14 cm (5.5 in) long with a tail length shorter than one-half their body length, approximately 50 mm (2.0 in). They weigh about 40 g (1.4 oz).

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

The eastern heather vole,, is a small North American vole. Until recently, this species was considered to belong to the same species as the western heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius. It is also called the Ungava vole.

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

The woodland vole is a small vole found in eastern North America. It is also known as the pine vole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prairie vole</span> Species of mammal

The prairie vole is a small vole found in central North America.

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

The 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.

<i>Cervus</i> Genus of deer and elk

Cervus is a genus of deer that primarily are native to Eurasia, although one species occurs in northern Africa and another in North America. In addition to the species presently placed in this genus, it has included a whole range of other species now commonly placed in other genera. Additionally, the species-level taxonomy is in a state of flux.

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

The white-footed vole is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in the United States. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

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

The red tree vole is a rodent of the Pacific Northwest, found in the US states of Oregon and California. They were formerly known as Phenacomys longicaudus and have also been called the red tree mouse.

The Sonoma tree vole or California red tree mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. The species is found in northwest California. The preferred habitat for this primarily arboreal vole is old-growth Douglas-fir forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phenacomyini</span>

Phenacomyini is a tribe of voles in the subfamily Arvicolinae. It contains five species in two genera, all of which are found in North America.

References

  1. Database, Mammal Diversity (2021-11-06), Mammal Diversity Database, Zenodo, retrieved 2021-12-12
  2. Naish, Darren. "North America: land of obscure, freaky voles". Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  3. Green, Tamara. "Arborimus longicaudus (red tree vole)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  4. "ECOS: Species Profile". ecos.fws.gov. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
  5. Bellinger, R., S. Haig, E. Forsman, and T. Mullins. 2005. Taxonomic relationships among Phenacomys voles endemic to western United States. Journal of Mammalogy, 86:201-210.
  6. Blois, J. L. and B. S. Arbogast. 2006. Conservation genetics of the Sonoma Tree Vole (Arborimus pomo) based on mitochondrial and amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Journal of Mammalogy, 87:950-960.
  7. Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. In Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

"Arborimus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.