Islands and the evolution of Microtus arvalis (Microtinae)

• Published in: Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Berry, R. J., Rose, F. E. N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1975
• Subjects: Guernsey; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1975.tb02241.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-7998.1975.tb02241.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1975.tb02241.x; https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1975.tb02241.x

The widespread European vole species Microtus arvalis (Pallas) occurs in the British Isles only on Guernsey and various of the Orkney islands. The traditional explanation for this peculiar distribution has been that the island races are the sole relicts of a previously cosmopolitan form. This idea i...