''Microtus'' is a genus of

vole Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of low-c ...

s found in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and northern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. About 62 species are placed in the genus. 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".ITIS database
Microtus skulls Bailey 1900

The species are: *

Insular vole The insular vole or St. Matthew Island vole (''Microtus abbreviatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It occurs only on St. Matthew Island and the adjacent Hall Island, in Alaska. On these Bering Sea islands, insular voles li ...

(''M. abbreviatus'') *

California vole The California vole (''Microtus californicus'') is a type of vole which lives throughout much of California and part of southwestern Oregon. It is also known as the "California meadow mouse", a misnomer as this species is a vole, not a mouse. It a ...

(''M. californicus'') *

Rock vole The rock vole (''Microtus chrotorrhinus'') is a medium-sized vole found in eastern North America. It is also called the yellow-nosed vole. Description This species is similar in appearance to the larger taiga vole. It has short ears and a long t ...

(''M. chrotorrhinus'') *

Long-tailed vole The long-tailed vole (''Microtus longicaudus''), in some areas known as the San Bernardino long-tailed vole, is a small vole found in western North America. They have short ears and a long tail. Their fur is gray brown with light gray underparts ...

(''M. longicaudus'') *

Mexican vole The Mexican vole (''Microtus mexicanus'') is a species of vole. The Hualapai Mexican vole (''M. m. hualapaiensis'') was formerly recognized as a subspecies and was a protected taxon under the United States Endangered Species Act until 2017. Sever ...

(''M. mexicanus'') *

Singing vole The singing vole (''Microtus miurus''), is a medium-sized vole found in northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. Physical characteristics Singing voles have short ears, often concealed by their long fur, and a short t ...

(''M. miurus'') *

Mogollon vole The Mexican vole (''Microtus mexicanus'') is a species of vole. The Hualapai Mexican vole (''M. m. hualapaiensis'') was formerly recognized as a subspecies and was a protected taxon under the United States Endangered Species Act until 2017. Sever ...

(''M. mogollonensis'') * Water vole (''M. richardsoni'') *

Zempoaltépec vole The Zempoaltépec vole (''Microtus umbrosus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. The name ''Microtus'' is from the Greek word ''mikros'' meaning small and ''otus'' meaning ear. The name ''umbrosus'' could be from the Latin ''umbros' ...

(''M. umbrosus'') *

Taiga vole The taiga vole (''Microtus xanthognathus'') is a large vole found in northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. The name "taiga vole" comes from its living in the boreal taiga zone. It is also sometimes called the yello ...

(''M. xanthognathus'') Subgenus ''Microtus'' * Short-tailed field vole (''M. agrestis'') *

Anatolian vole The Anatolian vole (''Microtus anatolicus'') is a species of vole found in Turkey, specifically Konya Province. The population is unknown but it lives in small colonies. The species exists in an area that is a remnant zone of Tethys Ocean, and th ...

(''M. anatolicus'') *

Common vole The common vole (''Microtus arvalis'') is a European rodent. Distribution and habitat The common vole is hardly restricted in means of distribution and habitat and inhabits large areas of Eurasia but, apart from the Orkney vole, not the Bri ...

(''M. arvalis'') *

Cabrera's vole Cabrera's vole (''Microtus cabrerae'') is a species of vole native to Spain and Portugal. It is named for Ángel Cabrera, a mammalogist then working at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid. It is the only living member of the subgen ...

(''M. cabrerae'') *

Doğramaci's vole Doğramaci's vole (''Microtus dogramacii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in central Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a tra ...

(''M. dogramacii'') *

Elbeyli vole Elbeyli, formerly Alimantar, is a town and district of Kilis Province in Turkey. Elbeyli was controlled by the Seljuk Turks between 1040 and 1157, then the Ilkhanate, and finally by the Anatolian beylik of Dulkadirids before being brought into ...

(''M. elbeyli'') *

Günther's vole Günther's vole (''Microtus guentheri'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, also known by the name Levant vole. It is found in Bulgaria, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Syria, T ...

(''M. guentheri'') * Harting's vole (''M. hartingii'') *

Tien Shan vole The Tien Shan vole (''Microtus ilaeus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ...

(''M. ilaeus'') *

Persian vole The Persian vole (''Microtus irani'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is only found in Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is b ...

(''M. irani'') *

Mediterranean field vole The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the eas ...

(''M. lavernedii'') *

Kerman vole Kerman ( fa, كرمان, Kermân ; also romanized as Kermun and Karmana), known in ancient times as the satrapy of Carmania, is the capital city of Kerman Province, Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 821,394, in 221,389 households, mak ...

(''M. kermanensis'') * Turkish vole (''M. lydius'') * East European vole (''M. mystacinus'') *

Altai vole The common vole (''Microtus arvalis'') is a European rodent. Distribution and habitat The common vole is hardly restricted in means of distribution and habitat and inhabits large areas of Eurasia but, apart from the Orkney vole, not the Bri ...

(''M. obscurus'') *

Paradox vole The paradox vole ('Microtus paradoxus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in southern Turkmenistan. References

* D.E. Wilson & D.M. Reeder, 2005: Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third ...

(''M. paradoxus'') *

Qazvin vole The Qazvin vole (''Microtus qazvinensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Iran and is normally given as either part of the ''Microtus'' or ''Sumeriomys'' subgenus. It is a close relative of ''Günther's Vole, M. g ...

(''M. qazvinensis'') *

Portuguese field vole The short-tailed field vole, short-tailed vole, or simply field vole (''Microtus agrestis'') is a grey-brown vole, around 10 cm in length, with a short tail. It is one of the most common mammals in Europe, with a range extending from the Atl ...

(''M. rosianus'') *

Schidlovsky's vole Schidlovsky's vole (''Microtus schidlovskii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is normally found in northwestern Armenia, and was long considered a subspecies of the social vole The social vole (''Microtus socialis'') is a ...

(''M. schidlovskii'') *

Social vole The social vole (''Microtus socialis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is ...

(''M. socialis'') *

Transcaspian vole The Transcaspian vole (''Microtus transcaspicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country locate ...

(''M. transcaspicus'') Subgenus ''

Blanfordimys ''Blanfordimys'' is a subgenus of voles in the family ''Microtus''. It was formerly considered a distinct genus, but taxonomic studies group it within the ''Microtus'' radiation. It contains the following species: * Afghan vole The Afghan vol ...

'' *

Afghan vole The Afghan vole (''Microtus afghanus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in south-central Asia. Characteristics The Afghan vole has a small, stocky body, a blunt, rounded muzzle and rounded ears. The colour varies ac ...

(''M. afghanus'') * Bucharian vole (''M. bucharicus'') * Juniper vole (''M. juldaschi'') Subgenus ''

Terricola Geoplanidae is a family of flatworms known commonly as land planarians or land flatworms. These flatworms are mainly predators of other invertebrates, which they hunt, attack and capture using physical force and the adhesive and digestive proper ...

'' * Bavarian pine vole (''M. bavaricus) * Calabria pine vole (''M. brachycercus'') *

Daghestan pine vole The Daghestan pine vole (''Microtus daghestanicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also ...

(''M. daghestanicus'') * Mediterranean pine vole (''M. duodecimcostatus'') * Felten's vole (''M. felteni'') *

Gerbe's vole Gerbe's vole (''Microtus gerbii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in France and Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto ...

(''M. gerbii'') *

Liechtenstein's pine vole Liechtenstein's pine vole (''Microtus liechtensteini'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in central and eastern Europe, from northern Italy through to Austria, Slovenia and Croatia , image_flag = Flag of C ...

(''M. liechtensteini'') * Lusitanian pine vole (''M. lusitanicus'') * Major's pine vole (''M. majori'') *

Alpine pine vole The alpine pine vole (''Microtus multiplex'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Austria, France, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegowina (Una National Park Sicilian pine vole Savi's pine vole (''Microtus savii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in France and Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It ...

(''M. nebrodensis'') *

Savi's pine vole Savi's pine vole (''Microtus savii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in France and Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It ...

(''M. savii'') * European pine vole (''M. subterraneus'') * Tatra pine vole (''M. tatricus'') * Thomas's pine vole (''M. thomasi'') Subgenus ''

Mynomes ''Mynomes'' is a North American subgenus of voles in the genus ''Microtus''. Species in this subgenus are: * Gray-tailed vole, ''M. canicaudus'' *Western meadow vole ''M. drummondii'' *Florida salt marsh vole ''M. dukecampbelli'' *Montane vole, ' ...

'' *

Gray-tailed vole The gray-tailed vole (''Microtus canicaudus'') also known as the gray-tailed meadow vole or gray-tailed meadow mouse, is a rodent in the genus ''Microtus'' (small-eared "meadow voles") of the family Cricetidae. Voles are small mammals, and this ...

(''M. canicaudus'') *

Western meadow vole The western meadow vole (''Microtus drummondii'') is a species of North American vole found in midwestern and western Canada and the United States, and formerly in Mexico. It was formerly considered conspecific with the eastern meadow vole (''M. ...

(''M. drummondi'') *

Florida salt marsh vole The Florida salt marsh vole (''Microtus dukecampbelli'') is a North American vole endemic to the state of Florida in the United States. Taxonomy It was formerly thought conspecific with the eastern meadow vole (''M. pennsylvanicus''), but more ...

(''M. dukecampbelli'') *

Montane vole The montane vole (''Microtus montanus'') is a species of vole native to the western United States and Canada. Description Montane voles are medium-sized voles, with a total length of , including the tail. Adults typically weigh anything from , ...

(''M. montanus'') *

Creeping vole The creeping vole (''Microtus oregoni''), sometimes known as the Oregon meadow mouse, is a small rodent in the family Cricetidae. Ranging across the Pacific Northwest of North America, it is found in forests, grasslands, woodlands, and chaparral ...

(''M. oregoni'') *

Eastern meadow vole The eastern meadow vole (''Microtus pennsylvanicus''), sometimes called the field mouse or meadow mouse, is a North American vole found in eastern Canada and the United States. Its range extends farther south along the Atlantic coast. The west ...

(''M. pennsylvanicus'') *

Beach vole The beach vole (''Microtus breweri'') or Muskeget vole is a rodent in the family Cricetidae. This close relative of the eastern meadow vole (''Microtus pennsylvanicus'') is endemic to the 0.87km² Muskeget Island, Massachusetts. Due to its relati ...

(''M. breweri'') *

Townsend's vole Townsend's vole (''Microtus townsendii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, the sister species of '' M. canicaudus''. It is found in temperate grasslands of British Columbia in Canada and in the states of Washington and Oregon in t ...

(''M. townsendii'') Subgenus ''

Alexandromys ''Alexandromys'' is a genus of voles in the subfamily Arvicolinae, formerly a subgenus of the genus ''Microtus''. Species in this genus are: * Alpine vole (''Alexandromys alpinus'') * Evorsk vole (''Alexandromys evoronensis'') *Reed vole (''Alex ...

'' * Clarke's vole (''M. clarkei'') *

Evorsk vole The Evorsk vole (''Microtus evoronensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning ...

(''M. evoronensis'') *

Reed vole The reed vole (''Alexandromys fortis'') is a species of vole. It is found in northern and central Eurasia, including northern China and the Korean Peninsula. This species is somewhat larger and longer-tailed than most other voles. Description ...

(''M. fortis'') *

Taiwan vole The Taiwan vole (''Microtus kikuchii'', now ''Alexandromys kikuchii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, It is an endemic species of Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the ...

(''M. kikuchii'') *

Lacustrine vole The lacustrine vole (''Microtus limnophilus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China and Mongolia. References

*Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 ''in'' Mammal S ...

(''M. limnophilus'') *

Maximowicz's vole Maximowicz's vole (''Microtus maximowiczii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in northeastern China, Mongolia, and eastern Russia. Description Maximowicz's vole is one of the largest voles in the genus ''Microtus''. ...

(''M. maximowiczii'') *

Middendorf's vole Middendorf's vole (''Microtus middendorffi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Russia, most commonly north Siberia. The common name commemorates Alexander Theodor von Middendorff (1815–1894), a German–Rus ...

(''M. middendorffi'') *

Mongolian vole The Mongolian vole (''Microtus mongolicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China, Mongolia, and Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental ...

(''M. mongolicus'') * Japanese grass vole (''M. montebelli'') *

Muisk vole The Muya Valley vole or Muisk vole (''Alexandromys mujanensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontine ...

(''M. mujanensis'') *

Tundra vole The tundra vole (''Microtus oeconomus'') or root vole is a medium-sized vole found in Northern and Central Europe, Asia, and northwestern North America, including Alaska and northwestern Canada. In the western part of the Netherlands, the tundra ...

or root vole (''M. oeconomus'') - several subspecies *

Sakhalin vole The Sakhalin vole (''Microtus sachalinensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spann ...

(''M. sachalinensis'') Subgenus ''

Stenocranius ''Stenocranius'' is a genus of rodent 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 6 ...

'' *

Narrow-headed vole The narrow-headed vole (''Microtus gregalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. Ranging over northern and central Asia and also into Alaska, it is the only species in the subgenus ''Stenocranius''. Description The narrow-headed ...

(''M. gregalis'') Subgenus ''

Pitymys Pitymys is a subgenus of voles in the genus Microtus. Species in this subgenus are: *Guatemalan vole (''Microtus guatemalensis'') *Tarabundí vole (''Microtus oaxacensis'') *Woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') *Jalapan pine vole (''Microtus qu ...

'' *

Guatemalan vole The Guatemalan vole (''Microtus guatemalensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, in montane pine-oak forest and meadow at elevations between 2600 and 3100 m above sea level. It is te ...

(''M. guatemalensis'') *

Tarabundí vole The Tarabundí vole (''Microtus oaxacensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America ...

(''M. oaxacensis'') *

Woodland vole The woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') is a small vole found in Eastern United States, eastern North America. It is also known as the pine vole. Characteristics The woodland vole has a head and body length ranging between with a short tail ...

(''M. pinetorum'') *

Jalapan pine vole The Jalapan pine vole (''Microtus quasiater'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, found only in Mexico. The scientific name ''quasiater'' translates as "almost black", while the common name refers to the city of Jalapa, close to whe ...

(''M. quasiater'') Subgenus ''

Pedomys The prairie vole (''Microtus ochrogaster'') is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body. It has short ears and a ...

'' *

Prairie vole The prairie vole (''Microtus ochrogaster'') is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body. It has short ears and a ...

(''M. ochrogaster'') Subgenus ''

Hyrcanicola Schelkovnikov's pine vole (''Microtus schelkovnikovi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Azerbaijan and Iran. It has recently been considered the sole species in the subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgen ...

'' *

Schelkovnikov's pine vole Schelkovnikov's pine vole (''Microtus schelkovnikovi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Azerbaijan and Iran. It has recently been considered the sole species in the subgenus ''Hyrcanicola''. References

*Musse ...

(''M. schelkovnikovi'')

Extinct species

*† Tyrrhenian vole (''M. henseli'')

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q683647 Voles and lemmings Rodent genera Taxa named by Franz von Paula Schrank Extant Piacenzian first appearances