Kazakhstan vole

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Kazakhstan vole
Systematics
Superfamily : Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family : Burrowers (Cricetidae)
Subfamily : Voles (arvicolinae)
Tribe : Arvicolini
Genre : Field mice ( Microtus )
Type : Kazakhstan vole
Scientific name
Microtus ilaeus
Thomas , 1912

The Kazakhstan vole ( Microtus ilaeus ) is a rodent species from the genus of field mice ( Microtus ) within the voles (Arvicolinae). It occurs in large parts of Asia from Afghanistan via Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to the People's Republic of China .

features

The Kazakh vole reaches a head-trunk length of 10.0 to 12.7 centimeters with a tail of 3.2 to 4.8 centimeters in length . The rear foot length is 17 to 20 millimeters, the ear length about 12 millimeters. The back fur is pale grayish brown, the peritoneum sand-colored gray. The tail is pale brown on top and white on the underside. The tops of the hands and feet are white.

The skull has a length of about 29 millimeters. The posterior part of the first lower molar has deep enamel folds on both the tongue and lip side .

distribution

The Kazakhstan vole occurs in large parts of Asia from Afghanistan via Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to the People's Republic of China . In China it can only be found in the north of Xinjiang in the Tian Shan .

Way of life

Very little information is available about the way of life of the Kazakhstan vole. It lives in forest areas, forest steppes and bushes. Like other field mice, it feeds on herbivores .

Systematics

The Kazakhstan vole is classified as an independent species within the field mice ( Microtus ), which consists of more than 60 species. The first scientific description comes from the British zoologist Oldfield Thomas , who described the species in 1912 using individuals from the Össek in the area around Scharkent in Kazakhstan. It was long regarded as a subspecies of the field mouse ( Microtus arvalis ), but is now classified as an independent species of the subgenus Microtus within the field mice.

Status, threat and protection

The Kazakhstan vole is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as not endangered (least concern). This is justified with the very large distribution area and the frequent occurrence of the species. Potential endangerment risks for the species are not known.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Kazakhstan 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. 232.
  2. ↑ a b c Microtus (Microtus) ilaeus . 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 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Microtus ilaeus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.2. Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved October 31, 2016.

literature

  • Darrin Lunde, Andrew T. Smith: Kazakhstan 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. 232.

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