Alexandromys mongolicus

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2017
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Cricetidae; Alexandromys; Alexandromys mongolicus; Tuva; Omutnaya; Krasnoyarsk Krai; Microtus arvalis; Siberia
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6706973; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6706973

117. Mongolian Vole Alexandromys mongolicus French: Campagnol de Mongolie / German: Mongolische Wiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de Mongolia Taxonomy. Arvicola mongolicus Radde, 1861, Omutnaya River Valley, tributary to Amur River, Transbaikalia (Chitinskaya Oblast), Russia. In the past, A. mongolicus was considered a well-differentiated subspecies of Microtus arvalis. It is now in subgenus Alexandromys and mongolicus species group. This species group is morphologically well defined within the subgenus, but mtDNA suggests close affinities to the A. middendorffii + A. gromovi clade. Some morphological differences exist among populations from western and eastern parts of the distribution. Monotypic. Distribution. S Siberia (Altai Republic, S Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tuva, Buryatia, Zabaykalsky Krai, and Amur Region of Russia), N & E Mongolia, and NE China (Inner Mongolia [= Nei Mongol], Heilongjiang, and Jilin). Descriptive notes. Head-body 81-123 mm, tail 21-39 mm, ear 7-15 mm, hindfoot 12-18 mm; weight 13-40 g. Fur color of head and upperparts is dark blackish brown, underparts are dark ash-gray, and tail is distinctly bicolored. Sole of foot has five plantar pads. M® has 3-4 (usually four) inner and 3-4 (usually three) outer angles. Baculum is medium-sized; its base is wide, with right-angle or rounded proximal edge. Median process is long, and lateral processes are short. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 50 and FN = 58. Habitat. Riparian habitats in boreal coniferous forest, mixed forest, forest steppe, and steppe zones and mountain meadows up to elevations of ¢.3000 m. Main habitats of Mongolian Voles are wet tussock meadows. Food and Feeding. The Mongolian Vole eats green and underground parts of plants. It stores food (bulbs and roots) for winter in caches in its burrow; winter caches are 1-2 kg/family group. Breeding. Breeding of wild Mongolian Voles was recorded in May—August. Litters have 5-9 young (usually 6-7). Adult females have 2 litters/year. Activity patterns. Summeractivity of Mongolian Voles in ...