Sage vole
| Sage vole | ||||||||||||
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Sage vole ( Lemmiscus curtatus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Lemmiscus curtatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Cope , 1868) |
The sage vole ( Lemmiscus curtatus ) is a small vole of western North America and is one of the most common mammals on the prairie . In shape, it resembles a lemming due to its plump body, short legs and ears, and stubby tail . Its closest relative is the Eurasian steppe lemming ( Lagurus lagurus ), which is just as little a real lemming as the sage vole.
The head body length is 9 to 13 centimeters, in addition there is a tail that is only 2 to 3 centimeters long. The fur is ash gray on the top and silvery white on the underside. This species is distinguished from the steppe lemming by a slightly longer tail, slightly larger ears, the lack of an eel line and certain features of the teeth.
In the prairie, the burrows of the sage voles are mostly found close together. Although they live together in large groups, there was no evidence of any kind of social organization. Each building has eight to thirty entrances, of which numerous tunnels lead to a central nest chamber that is about 25 centimeters in diameter and up to 45 centimeters deep. It is padded with leaves and grass. The burrows are mostly created by the system itself, but abandoned burrows by pocket rats are often added to the system.
The main activity of the sage voles falls in the twilight hours, but they can be found actively at any time of the day or night. The food is green parts of the plant.
Because sage voles avoid human proximity, they have not become known as pests. With the expansion of agriculture , the habitat of these animals also became smaller. In the prairie they are among the preferred prey of numerous small animal hunters, for example owls , birds of prey , snakes , coyotes , bobcats and silver badgers .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Lemmiscus curtatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: AV Linzey, NatureServe, 2008. Accessed January 2 of 2009.