''Microtus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

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 lo ...

s 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". Microtus skulls Bailey 1900

There is some disagreement on the definitive list of species in this genus, and which subgenera are recognized. The

American Society of Mammalogists The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was founded in 1919. Its primary purpose is to encourage the study of mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence ...

recognizes the following 60 species, with discrepancies as noted: Subgenus '' Blanfordimys'' *

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 a ...

(''Microtus afghanus'') * Bucharian vole (''Microtus bucharensis'') *

Juniper vole The juniper vole (''Microtus yuldaschi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and Tajikistan. It was formerly classified in the genus '' Neodon'', but genetic evidence indicates that it is ...

(''Microtus yuldaschi'') Subgenus '' Euarvicola'' *

Short-tailed 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 At ...

(''Microtus agrestis'') *

Mediterranean 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 At ...

(''Microtus lavernedii'') *

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 At ...

(''Microtus rozianus'') Subgenus ''

Hyrcanicola Schelkovnikov's pine vole (''Microtus schelkovnikovi'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Azerbaijan and Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in W ...

'' (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenus ''Microtus'') *

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 Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in W ...

(''M. schelkovnikovi'') Subgenus ''

Iberomys 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 ...

'' *

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 sub ...

(''Microtus cabrerae'') Subgenus ''

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 se ...

'' *

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 ...

(''Microtus 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 Br ...

(''Microtus arvalis'') *

Doğramaci's vole Doğramaci's vole (''Microtus dogramacii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iran, and probably Iraq and Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levan ...

(''Microtus dogramacii'') *

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, Montenegro, Syria, Turke ...

(''Microtus guentheri'') * Harting's vole (''Microtus hartingi'') *

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 is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by K ...

(''Microtus 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 (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to ...

(''Microtus irani'') *

Kerman vole The Kerman vole or Baluchistan vole (''Microtus kermanensis'') is a species of vole. It is found in Kerman Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borde ...

(''Microtus kermanensis'') * Cyrenaica vole (''Microtus mustersi'') * East European vole (''Microtus mystacinus'') * Altai vole (''Microtus obscurus'') *

Paradox vole The paradox vole (''Microtus paradoxus''), also called the Kopet Dag pine vole or Khorasan social vole, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in southern Turkmenistan and northeastern Iran. It is endemic to the Kopet Dag The K� ...

(''Microtus paradoxus'') * East European gray vole (''Microtus rossiaemeridionalis'') *

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 ...

(''Microtus 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, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Ukraine. It may also be found in nort ...

(''Microtus socialis'') * Transcaspian vole (''Microtus transcaspicus'') Subgenus ''

Pedomys The prairie vole (''Microtus ochrogaster'') is a small vole found in central North America. Description 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 sh ...

'' (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenus ''Pitymys'') *

Prairie vole The prairie vole (''Microtus ochrogaster'') is a small vole found in central North America. Description 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 sh ...

(''M. ochrogaster'') 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 (''Microtu ...

'' (includes the former 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, '' ...

'') * Insular vole (''Microtus 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 ...

(''Microtus californicus'') * Gray-tailed vole (''Microtus canicaudus'') * Rock vole (''Microtus chrotorrhinus'') *

Western meadow vole The western meadow vole (''Microtus drummondii'') is a species of North America, North American vole found in western North America, the midwestern United States, Western Ontario, western Ontario, Canada, and formerly in Mexico. It was previously ...

(''Microtus drummondi'') * Florida salt marsh vole (''Microtus dukecampbelli'') *

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 ...

(''Microtus guatemalensis'') * Long-tailed vole (''Microtus longicaudus'') * Mexican vole (''Microtus mexicanus'') * Mogollon vole (''Microtus mogollonensis'') *

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 , ...

(''Microtus montanus'') *

Tarabundí vole The Tarabundí vole (''Microtus oaxacensis''), a medium-large blackish brown vole, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It i ...

(''Microtus oaxacensis'') *

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 ...

(''Microtus 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 weste ...

(''Microtus pennsylvanicus'') *

Woodland vole The woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') is a small vole found in 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. Its weight ranges be ...

(''Microtus 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 wh ...

(''Microtus quasiater'') * North American water vole (''Microtus richardsoni'') *

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 ...

(''Microtus townsendii'') * Zempoaltépec vole (''Microtus umbrosus'') * Taiga vole (''Microtus xanthognathus'') Subgenus '' Terricola'' * Calabria pine vole (''Microtus 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, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the ...

(''Microtus daghestanicus'') *

Mediterranean pine vole The Mediterranean pine vole (''Microtus duodecimcostatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in France, Andorra, Portugal, and Spain where it lives in a network of shallow tunnels. Mostly found in Alvor, close to where ...

(''Microtus duodecimcostatus'') *

Felten's vole Felten's vole (''Microtus felteni''), also known as the Balkan pine vole, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Savi's pine vole. It is a small species, weighing 16–28 g and measuring 83–1 ...

(''Microtus felteni'') * Anatolian pine vole ('' Microtus fingeri'') *

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, Serbia and Croatia Croatia, officially th ...

(''Microtus liechtensteini'') *

Lusitanian pine vole The Lusitanian pine vole (''Microtus lusitanicus'') is a species of burrowing rodent in the family Cricetidae, endemic to the northwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula, including northern and central Portugal, northwest Spain, and extending in ...

(''Microtus lusitanicus'') *

Major's pine vole Major's pine vole (''Microtus majori'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in Caucasus region and its vicinities (Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) ...

(''Microtus 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, widespread across the Italian peninsula with limited populations in southern France and southern Switzerland. This herbivorous mammal primarily inhabits ag ...

(''Microtus nebrodensis'') * Gerbe's vole (''Microtus gerbii'' or ''Microtus pyrenaicus'') *

Savi's pine vole Savi's pine vole (''Microtus savii'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, widespread across the Italian peninsula with limited populations in southern France and southern Switzerland. This herbivorous mammal primarily inhabits ag ...

(''Microtus savii'') *

European pine vole The European pine vole (''Microtus subterraneus''), also known as the common pine vole, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true h ...

(''Microtus subterraneus'') *

Tatra pine vole The Tatra pine vole (''Microtus tatricus''), also called the Tatra vole or Tatra ground vole, is a species of vole endemic to the Carpathian mountain range in Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Romania. Two subspecies have been recognised. ''M. t. tat ...

(''Microtus tatricus'') * Thomas's pine vole (''Microtus thomasi'') The IUCN recognizes these additional species: * Bavarian pine vole (''Microtus bavaricus'') (included in ''M. multiplex'' by ASM) * Singing vole (''Microtus miurus'') (IUCN lists this as split from '' M. gregalis'', but the ASM lists ''M. miurus'' as a synonym of ''M. abbreviatus'') * Elbeyli vole (''Microtus elbeyli'') (IUCN list this as distinct from ''M. irani'') *

Qazvin vole The Qazvin vole (''Microtus qazvinensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to ...

(''Microtus qazvinensis'') (IUCN list this as distinct from ''M. irani'') There is also at least one known subfossil species known:
Subgenus '' Tyrrhenicola'' * Sardinian vole (''M. henseli)'' extinct after 1300 BC

References

*
online database version
entry for Muroidea).

External links

Genus Microtus
{{Authority control Voles and lemmings Rodent genera Taxa named by Franz von Paula Schrank Extant Piacenzian first appearances