Alticola barakshin, Bannikov, 1947

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 : 306-307

59.

Gobi Altai Mountain Vole

Alticola barakshin

French: Campagnol de Bannikov / German: Gobi-Altai-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Altai

Other common names: Gobi Altai High Mountain Vole, Gobi Altai's Vole

Taxonomy. Alticola barakshin Bannikov, 1947 , Dzun Saykhan, Gurvan Saykhan Ridge, Govi Altai Mountains, S Mongolia.

In the past, A. barakshin was synonymized with A. stoliczkanus , A. royler, and A. argentatus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Altai Mts in Russia (Tuva), Mongolia, and China (Barkol County and marginally adjacent areas in extreme E Xinjiang).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-129 mm, tail 15-30 mm; weight 28-3-62-8 g. With its short tail (14-25% of headbody length), the Gobi Altai Mountain Vole resembles Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole (A. stoliczkanus ). Back is brownish gray; belly is dirty white. Tail is densely covered with hairs, light sandy above and white below. Skull is robust, with shallow and long braincase, large bullae, and robust interparietal bone. Molars are hypsodont and rootless, with elongated appearance of grinding surfaces. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole and Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole are the only mountain voles ( Alticola ) with two inner salient angles on M?; all remaining species have 3-4 salient angles.

Habitat. Shrubby habitats, often with junipers ( Juniperus , Cupressaceae ), in semi-deserts and high-elevation steppe up to the highest recorded elevation of 2500 m. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is less dependent on rocky substrate than other species of Alticola .

Food and Feeding. Steams of crested white grass ( Agropyron cristatum, Poaceae ) were found around burrows of Gobi Altai Mountain Voles. Plants are dried and stored in winter caches.

Breeding. A captured female had six placental scars.

Activity patterns. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is mainly nocturnal. It seeks shelter among rocks and also digs burrows with numerous entrances.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Most of the distribution of ¢.226,000 km? is in south-western Mongolia. In the Mongolian Red List, the Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is classified as data deficient because of lack of information on distribution, populations size and trends, and threats.

Bibliography. Bannikov (1954), Clark et al. (2006), Flint et al. (1965), Hou Lanxin et al. (1995), Ognev (1950), Rossolimo (1989).

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)

Distribution. Altai Mts in Russia (Tuva), Mongolia, and China (Barkol County and marginally adjacent areas in extreme E Xinjiang).