Cabrera's vole (''Microtus cabrerae'') is a species 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 lo ...

native to Spain and Portugal. It is named for

Ángel Cabrera Ángel Leopoldo Cabrera (; born 12 September 1969) is an Argentine professional golfer who has played on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as ''"El Pato"'' in Spanish ''("The Duck")'' for his waddling gait. He is a ...

, a mammalogist then working at the

Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales The National Museum of Natural Sciences () is a natural history museum in Madrid, Spain. Dependent on the Ministry of Science, it is one of the National Museums of Spain, and it is managed by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Histo ...

in Madrid. It is the only living member of the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...

''Iberomys'', although two fossil species are also known, including ''M. brecciensis'', the likely direct ancestor of the living species.

Description

Cabrera's vole is one of the largest voles in the genus ''Microtus'', with a body length of and a tail in length. Adults weigh between , up to five times more than other voles native to Spain and Portugal. They have long, thick fur which is brownish olive over most of the body and yellowish in colour on the underparts. The

guard hair Guard hair or overhair is the outer layer of hair of most mammals, which overlay the fur. Guard hairs are long and coarse and protect the rest of the pelage (fur) from abrasion and frequently from moisture. They are visible on the surface of the ...

s are particularly long, reaching as far as out from the body, greater than that in any other ''Microtus'' species. Internally, the

caecum The cecum ( caecum, ; plural ceca or caeca, ) is a pouch within the peritoneum that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is typically located on the right side of the body (the same side of the body as the appendix, ...

is longer than that in most other voles, relative to body size, a feature that may be related to its specialised diet. In other respects, Cabrera's vole is a typical vole, with a rounded head, small ears, and a short tail in comparison to its body.

Distribution and habitat

Cabrera's vole is found only in scattered areas of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

, notably on the southern and western slopes of the mountainous regions of those countries, from the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

to southern Portugal. Within these regions, the vole inhabits areas of pasture and agricultural land, and clearings in oak forests, and is typically found in small, relatively isolated, populations close to water. The species was much more widespread prior to the late

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

about 2000 years ago, and once also inhabited southern France. There are no currently recognised subspecies.

Biology and behaviour

Cabrera's voles live in grassy areas with high soil moisture, often close to streams or ponds, but they rarely remain in a given location for more than four months at a time, and tend to switch to areas with more rushes and sedges in the winter. They are herbivorous, with as much as 58% of their diet consisting of grasses, and are diurnal animals that dig their own burrows. The voles breed throughout the year, but more commonly in winter than in summer, apparently due to the great availability of green grass. Unusually for voles, they tend to be monogamous, although at least some males do mate with multiple females. Pregnancy lasts for 23 or 24 days, and typically results in the birth of a litter of three to five young. The mother builds a nest five or six days before giving birth. The young are born hairless and blind, with their ears closed and their toes still fused together. They are initially about long and weigh about . Their hair is fully grown by five days, they are able to walk by seven or eight days, and their eyes are fully open by day eleven. Shortly after, they begin to explore the nest and to take some solid food; they are fully weaned by 15 days.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1089211 Microtus Mammals described in 1906 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Habitats Directive species