15. Guenther’s Vole, Microtus (Sumeriomys) guentheri (Danford & Alston, 1880)

(IUCN Red List: LC)

Subspecies: M. g. philistinus Thomas, 1917 .

Distribution: Common with a wide distribution from western Mesopotamia, Aleppo towards the western coastal region, Orontes Basin, and to the southwestern extremity; avoids arid and semi-arid areas (Fig. 20).

Previous records: Reported by Thomas (1917) as M. philistinus, which is a junior synonym of guentheri (type specimen seen). Previous records were in the past classified as M. socialis (see Brito et al. 2022) but now is probably referable to M. guentheri . Further probable records: Azaz (Aharoni 1932; Neuhäuser 1936; Harrison 1972), Tell Abiad (Misonne 1957; Harrison 1972), Qal’at Al-Hosson (Nadachowski et al. 1990), Tell Mardiekh, Athar Ma’ez, Qal’at Al-Hosson (Shehab et al. 2004), ar-Rabi’ah (RabiТah) (Kryštufek et al. 2009), Qattinah (Zima et al. 2013), Ain Arab, ash-Shajara, Jwileen Dam, Darkhabiyeh, Khrab Al Shaham, Muzirib, Serghaya, Karahta, Kharabow, ash-Sheikh Miskeen, Ebtaa, Tafas, and Jilleen (Shehab et al. 2018).