Insular vole

Insular vole
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Rodentia
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Arvicolinae
Genus:Microtus
Species: M. abbreviatus
Binomial name
Microtus abbreviatus
Miller, 1899

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.[1] On these Bering Sea islands, insular voles live in damp lowland areas, on the lower slopes of mountains, and on rye grass-covered beaches. They are diurnal and eat plant matter. Birds and Arctic foxes (which are the only other mammals on the island) prey on the voles.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Frey, J.; Garibaldi, A. & Hammerson, G. (2008). "Microtus abbreviatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  2. "North American Mammals: Insular Vole". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.


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