Microtus

Microtus is a genus of voles 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". There is some disagreement on the definitive list of species in this genus, and which subgenera are recognized. The American Society of Mammalogists recognizes the following 60 species, with discrepancies as noted: Subgenus Blanfordimys Afghan vole (Microtus afghanus) Bucharian vole (Microtus bucharensis) Juniper vole (Microtus yuldaschi) Subgenus Euarvicola Short-tailed field vole (Microtus agrestis) Mediterranean field vole (Microtus lavernedii) split from M. agrestis Portuguese field vole (Microtus rozianus) split from M. agrestis Subgenus Hyrcanicola (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenus Microtus) Schelkovnikov's pine vole (M. schelkovnikovi) Subgenus Iberomys Cabrera's vole (Microtus cabrerae) Subgenus Microtus Anatolian vole (Microtus anatolicus) Common vole (Microtus arvalis) Doğramaci's vole (Microtus dogramacii) Günther's vole (Microtus guentheri) Harting's vole (Microtus hartingi) split from M. guentheri Tien Shan vole (Microtus ilaeus) Persian vole (Microtus irani) Kerman vole (Microtus kermanensis) Cyrenaica vole (Microtus mustersi) split from M. guentheri East European vole (Microtus mystacinus) Altai vole (Microtus obscurus) split from M. arvalis Paradox vole (Microtus paradoxus) East European gray vole (Microtus rossiaemeridionalis) split from M. mystacinus Schidlovsky's vole (Microtus schidlovskii) Social vole (Microtus socialis) Transcaspian vole (Microtus transcaspicus) Subgenus Pedomys (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenus Pitymys) Prairie vole (M. ochrogaster) Subgenus Pitymys (includes the former subgenus Mynomes) Insular vole (Microtus abbreviatus) California vole (Microtus californicus) Gray-tailed vole (Microtus canicaudus) Rock vole (Microtus chrotorrhinus) Western meadow vole (Microtus drummondi) Florida salt marsh vole (Microtus dukecampbelli) Guatemalan vole (Microtus guatemalensis) Long-tailed vole (Microtus longicaudus) Mexican vole...