''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 recognizes the following 60 species, with discrepancies as noted: Subgenus '' Blanfordimys'' * Afghan vole (''Microtus afghanus'') * Bucharian vole (''Microtus bucharensis'') * Juniper vole (''Microtus yuldaschi'') Subgenus '' Euarvicola'' * Short-tailed field vole (''Microtus agrestis'') * Mediterranean field vole (''Microtus lavernedii'') * Portuguese field vole (''Microtus rozianus'') Subgenus '' Hyrcanicola'' (not recognized by the ASM, listed in subgenus ''Microtus'') * Schelkovnikov's pine vole (''M. schelkovnikovi'') Subgenus '' Iberomys'' * Cabrera's vole (''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 (''Microtus anatolicus'') * Common vole (''Microtus arvalis'') * Doğramaci's vole (''Microtus dogramacii'') * Günther's vole (''Microtus guentheri'') * Harting's vole (''Microtus hartingi'') * Tien Shan vole (''Microtus ilaeus'') * Persian vole (''Microtus irani'') * Kerman vole (''Microtus kermanensis'') * Cyrenaica vole (''Microtus mustersi'') * East European vole (''Microtus mystacinus'') * Altai vole (''Microtus obscurus'') * Paradox vole (''Microtus paradoxus'') * East European gray vole (''Microtus rossiaemeridionalis'') * Schidlovsky's vole (''Microtus schidlovskii'') * Social vole (''Microtus socialis'') * Transcaspian vole (''Microtus transcaspicus'') Subgenus '' Pedomys'' (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'' (includes the former subgenus '' Mynomes'') * Insular vole (''Microtus abbreviatus'') * California vole (''Microtus californicus'') * Gray-tailed vole (''Microtus canicaudus'') * Rock vole (''Microtus chrotorrhinus'') * Western meadow vole (''Microtus drummondi'') * Florida salt marsh vole (''Microtus dukecampbelli'') * Guatemalan vole (''Microtus guatemalensis'') * Long-tailed vole (''Microtus longicaudus'') * Mexican vole (''Microtus mexicanus'') * Mogollon vole (''Microtus mogollonensis'') * Montane vole (''Microtus montanus'') * Tarabundí vole (''Microtus oaxacensis'') * Creeping vole (''Microtus oregoni'') * Eastern meadow vole (''Microtus pennsylvanicus'') * Woodland vole (''Microtus pinetorum'') * Jalapan pine vole (''Microtus quasiater'') * North American water vole (''Microtus richardsoni'') * Townsend's vole (''Microtus townsendii'') * Zempoaltépec vole (''Microtus umbrosus'') * Taiga vole (''Microtus xanthognathus'') Subgenus '' Terricola'' * Calabria pine vole (''Microtus brachycercus'') * Daghestan pine vole (''Microtus daghestanicus'') * Mediterranean pine vole (''Microtus duodecimcostatus'') * Felten's vole (''Microtus felteni'') * Anatolian pine vole ('' Microtus fingeri'') * Liechtenstein's pine vole (''Microtus liechtensteini'') * Lusitanian pine vole (''Microtus lusitanicus'') * Major's pine vole (''Microtus majori'') * Alpine pine vole (''Microtus multiplex'') * Sicilian pine vole (''Microtus nebrodensis'') * Gerbe's vole (''Microtus gerbii'' or ''Microtus pyrenaicus'') * Savi's pine vole (''Microtus savii'') * European pine vole (''Microtus subterraneus'') * Tatra pine vole (''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 (''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