Kolan bank vole

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Kolan bank vole
Systematics
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family : Burrowers (Cricetidae)
Subfamily : Voles (arvicolinae)
Tribe : Myodini
Genre : Caryomys
Type : Kolan bank vole
Scientific name
Caryomys inez
( Thomas , 1908)

The Kolan bank vole or Inez red-backed vole ( Caryomys inez , syn .: Eothenomys inez ) is a rodent species from the subfamily of voles (Arvicolinae). It occurs in the central mountain regions in China .

features

The Kolan bank vole reaches a head-trunk length of 8.7 to 9.4 centimeters with a tail of 3.2 to 4.2 centimeters in length . The rear foot length is 15 to 16 millimeters, the ear length 10 to 12 millimeters. The back fur is uniformly sand-colored brown, the peritoneum is pale sand-colored. The tail is slightly longer than the length of the head and torso and clearly two-colored with a dark brown upper side and pale brown lower side. The tops of the feet and hands are brown. The ears are very small and hardly rise from the head fur.

The skull has a length of 23.0 to 24.0 millimeters. It corresponds to that of the Gansu bank vole ( Caryomys eva ) and differs from it mainly in specific tooth features.

distribution

The Kolan bank vole occurs in the central Chinese mountain regions in parts from Shaanxi to the east to Shanxi as well as Anhui , Sichuan , Gansu , Nigxia and Hebei . She lives at heights of 500 to 2000 meters.

Way of life

The Kolan bank vole lives mainly in wooded gorges and crevices at altitudes between 500 and 2000 meters. She digs in loose soil and feeds on herbivores mainly from various parts of plants and grasses. Reproduction takes place between March and October, a female with two embryos has been documented.

Systematics

The Kolan bank vole is classified as a separate species within the genus Caryomys , which consists of two species. The first scientific description of the two species and the genus comes from the British zoologist Oldfield Thomas , who described the species in 1908 using individuals from Shanxi. Originally both species were assigned to the field mice ( Microtus ), later some of them were added to the Père David voles ( Eothenomys ), but due to the shape of the penis bone (Baculum), the genus was established with the two species in 1992. The Kolan bank vole was also considered a synonym for the gray bank vole ( Myodes rufocanus ).

Within the species, the nominate form C.i. inez from the northern parts of the distribution area and Ci nux in the southern distribution area described two subspecies.

The designation as inez was not further explained by Thomas in the first description, accordingly it is not known whether it is an eponym and thus an appreciation or dedication or whether he chose the name for other reasons. It is speculated that the name refers to Inez Luanne Wilder , professor of zoology at Smith College in Massachusetts .

Status, threat and protection

Although little information is available about the population of the Kolan bank vole, it 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 large populations of the species. In the distribution area of ​​the species, there are no known risks that could endanger the population, as no information is available.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Inez's 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. 220.
  2. ↑ a b c d e Caryomys inez in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  3. ↑ a b c d Caryomys inez . 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 .
  4. ↑ Bo Beolens, Michael Grayson, Michael Watkins: The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009; P. 204; ISBN 978-0-8018-9304-9 .

literature

  • Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Inez's 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. 220.

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