| Microtus Temporal range: LatePliocene - recent | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lusitanian pine vole | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Arvicolinae |
| Tribe: | Microtini |
| Genus: | Microtus Schrank, 1798 |
| Type species | |
| Microtus terrestris Schrank, 1798 (=Mus arvalisPallas, 1778) | |
| Subgenera | |
Blanfordimys | |
Microtus is agenus ofvoles found in North America, Europe and northern Asia. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. They are stout rodents with short ears, legs and tails. They eat green vegetation such as grasses and sedges in summer, and grains, seeds, root and bark at other times. The genus is also called "meadow voles".[1]
There is some disagreement on the definitive list of species in this genus, and which subgenera are recognized. TheAmerican Society of Mammalogists recognizes the following 60 species, with discrepancies as noted:[2]
SubgenusBlanfordimys
SubgenusEuarvicola
SubgenusHyrcanicola (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenusMicrotus)
SubgenusIberomys
SubgenusMicrotus
SubgenusPedomys (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenusPitymys)
SubgenusPitymys (includes the former subgenusMynomes)
SubgenusTerricola
The IUCN recognizes these additional species:
There is also at least one known subfossil species known:
Subgenus†Tyrrhenicola
