Blyth vole
| Blyth vole | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Phaiomys | ||||||||||||
| Blyth , 1863 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Phaiomys leucurus | ||||||||||||
| Blyth , 1863 |
The Blyth vole or Indian mountain vole ( Phaiomys leucurus ) is a species of rodent belonging to the subfamily of voles (Arvicolinae). It is the only species of the genus Phaiomys monotypical . It occurs in the highlands of Tibet along the Himalayas to the northwest of India .
features
The Blyth vole reaches a head-trunk length of 9.8 to 12.8 centimeters with a tail of 2.6 to 3.5 centimeters in length . The rear foot length is 16 to 19 millimeters, the ear length 10 to 13 millimeters. The body color of the animals is pale yellowish brown, on the body sides the color becomes lighter and merges into the yellowish brown fur on the belly side. The tail is a solid yellowish brown. The top of the hands and feet is pale yellowish white. The ears are very small, the claws on the feet are very pronounced and designed for digging.
The structure of the enamel of the molars is reduced and partly corresponds to that of the water voles ( Arvicola ), whereby the third lower molar m3 in particular has only three closed triangles after the prism and the end cap has only slight indentations on both the lip and tongue side . The posterior edge of the palatine bone has a bone bridge to the pit of the middle wing bone , creating two lateral pits.
distribution
The Blyth vole occurs in South Asia in the highlands of Tibet in the southwest and west of the People's Republic of China along the Himalayas via Nepal to the northwest of India . In China it occurs in Xinjiang , Qinghai and Xizang , in India it can be found in the states of Himachal Pradesh and in the Union Territory of Ladakh .
Way of life
The Blyth vole is a high mountain species that occurs mainly in grassland areas near waterways. It is strictly herbivorous and feeds on different parts of the plant. It lives in colonies and digs deep burrows, especially on the banks of lakes and rivers. No information is available on reproduction; the uterus of a captured female contained seven embryos .
Systematics
The Blyth vole is classified as the only species within the monotypical genus Phaiomys . The first scientific description of the species and the genus comes from the British zoologist Edward Blyth , who described it in 1863 using individuals from the area near the Tsomoriri in the Ladakh region in northwest India. The Qinghai vole ( Lasiopodomys fuscus ) was partially assigned to the Blyth vole.
Status, threat and protection
The Blyth vole is classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified with the relatively large distribution area and the assumed frequent occurrence of the species. Potential endangerment risks for the species are not known, in parts of South Asia it is affected by a severe decline in habitat.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Blyth's Mountain Vole. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 238.
- ↑ a b c Phaiomys leucurus . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
- ↑ a b c d Phaiomys leucurus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Posted by: S. Molur, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
literature
- Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Blyth's Mountain Vole. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 238.
Web links
- Phaiomys leucurus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Posted by: S. Molur, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2016.