Alticola semicanus (G. M. Allen, 1924)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 204-535 : 307

61.

Mongolian Mountain Vole

Alticola semicanus

French: Campagnol d’Allen / German: Mongolische Silberfell-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Mongolia

Other common names: Mongolian High Mountain Vole, Mongolian Silver Vole

Taxonomy. Microtus (Alticola) worthingtoni semicanus G. M. Allen, 1924 , “Sain Noin Khan, Mongolia.”

Alticola semicanus was frequently synonymized with A. argentatus or A. roylei . Crossbreeding experiments failed to produce offspring between argentatus and semicanus . Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

A. s. semicanus G. M. Allen, 1924 — extreme S Tuva (Russia) and W & C Mongolia.

A. s. allen: Argyropulo, 1933 — E Mongolia and Inner Mongolia (= Nei Mongol), NE China.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 93-135 mm, tail 20-37 mm; weight 24-5-69 g. The Mongolian Mountain Vole has a short tail and colorful pelage. Tail accounts for 27-33% of head-body length and is densely covered with stiff hair and well-tufted. General color above is buffy gray, shaded with black hair tips, with a bufflateral line and buff postauricular tuft. Ears are frequently margined in buff. Underside is silvery white, washed buff and slate due to dark underfur. Tail is white, slightly darkened above, and paws are white. Females have four pairs of nipples. Whiskers are up to 50 mm long. Skull is heavily built, depressed in interorbital region and fairly shallow. Molars are hypsodont and remain rootless throughout life. M* has three inner salient angles.

Habitat. Rocks and boulders, frequently under rocky outcrops in steppe—even isolated outcrops. The Mongolian Mountain Vole was also reported on a canyon rim in a deciduous forest.

Food and Feeding. Mongolian Mountain Voles drag bits of grass and flowers under rocks.

Breeding. Females reportedly have 6-7 embryos. Young are abundant in the first onehalf ofJune.

Activity patterns. The Mongolian Mountain Vole is partly diurnal but chiefly nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Excrement of Mongolian Mountain Volesis deposited at certain spots near entrances to shelters under rocks.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Allen (1940), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005), Stubbe & Chotolchu (1968), Tinnin et al. (2002).

Figures

34. Nearctic Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), 35. Ungava Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx hudsonius), 36. Nelson's Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx nelsoni), 37. Ogilvie Mountains Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx nunatakensis), 38. Richardson’s Collared Lemming (Ducrostonyx richardsoni), 39. Palearctic Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus), 40. Unalaska Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx unalascensis), 41. Gray Red-backed Vole (Craseomys rufocanus), 42. Hokkaido Red-backed Vole (Craseomys rex), 43. Korean Red-backed Vole (Craseomys regulus), 44. Shanxi Red-backed Vole (Craseomys shanseius), 45. Anderson’s Red-backed Vole (Craseomys andersoni), 46. Smith’s Red-backed Vole (Craseomys smith), 47. Western Red-backed Vole (Myodes californicus), 48. Southern Red-backed Vole (Myodes gapperi), 49. Bank Vole (Mpyodes glareolus), 50. Tian Shan Red-backed Vole (Myodes centralis), 51. Large-eared Vole (Myodes macrotis), 52. Northern Red-backed Vole (Myodes rutilus), 53. Silver Mountain Vole (Alticola argentatus), 54. White-tailed Mountain Vole (Alticola albicauda), 55. Kashmir Mountain Vole (Alticola montosus), 56. Royle’s Mountain Vole (Alticola roylei), 57. Strelzov’s Mountain Vole (Alticola strelzouvi), 58. Tuva Mountain Vole (Alticola tuvinicus), 59. Gobi Altai Mountain Vole (Alticola barakshin), 60. null (null), 60. null (null), 61. Mongolian Mountain Vole (Alticola semicanus), 61. Mongolian Mountain Vole (Alticola semicanus), 62. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole (Alticola stoliczkanus), 62. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole (Alticola stoliczkanus), 63. Lemming Mountain Vole (Aschizomys lemminus), 63. Lemming Mountain Vole (Aschizomys lemminus), 64. Gansu Red-backed Vole (Caryomys eva), 64. Gansu Red-backed Vole (Caryomys eva), 65. Kolan Red-backed Vole (Caryomys inez), 65. Kolan Red-backed Vole (Caryomys inez), 66. Pere David's Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys melanogaster), 66. Pere David’s Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys melanogaster), 67. Yunnan Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys miletus), 68. Sichuan Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys chinensis), 69. Southwest China Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys custos), 70. Black-eared Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys olitor), 71. Yulongxuen Red-backed Vole (FEothenomys proditor), 72. Ward’s Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys wardi), 73. Hinton’s Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys hintoni), 74. Tarquinius Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys tarquinius), 75. Burrowing Vole (Hyperacrius fertilis), 76. Murree Vole (Hyperacrius wynnei)