The Afghan vole (''Microtus afghanus'')
is a species of
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are roden ...
in the family
Cricetidae
The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At almost 608 species, it is the second-largest family of mammals, a ...
. It is found in
south-central Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
.
Characteristics
The Afghan vole has a small, stocky body, a blunt, rounded muzzle and rounded ears. The colour varies across its range from pale-yellow-ochre to grayish-yellow. The short tail is a similar colour and the underparts are creamy gray. A diploid set of chromosomes (2n=58) is characteristic of this species. The length of the body is 110 millimetres with a tail of 30 millimetres. The foot is 16 millimetres long and usually has six sole pads though there are occasionally five.
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Distribution
This species is widely distributed in semi-desert, steppes and mountainous areas of southern Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the s ...
, southern Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...
, northeastern Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...
and central Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...
, where it has been recorded at up to 3,400 metres.[ In most of its distribution area it lives at heights of 500–600 metres above sea level but occasionally up to 1700 metres.]
Ecology
This vole favours fallow and dry lands, rough grassland and scrub. It mainly eats the green parts of plants but also feeds on seeds, fruits, flowers and roots. It stores food supplies of up to 4.5 kilograms for winter use. It is a colonial species and forms complex burrows. These can cover as much as 180 square metres with the number of entrance holes varying from 20 to 145 and number of voles from four to ten individuals. Reproduction occurs in the autumn, winter and spring with a pause during summer drought. Litter sizes vary from one to ten and in some years, population sizes can increase substantially.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q307328
Rodents of Asia
Mammals of Afghanistan
Mammals described in 1912
Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Microtus
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN