119.

Gromov's Vole

Alexandromys gromouvi

French: Campagnol de Gromov / German: Gromow-Wihlmaus / Spanish: Topillo de Gromov

Taxonomy. Microtus maximowiczii gromovi Vorontsov et al., 1988, E shore of Bolshoe Toko Lake, Aldan River Basin, Neryungri District, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia.

In the past, A. gromovi was considered as a subspecies of A. maximowiczii . It is now in subgenus Alexandromys and mongolicus species group. Morphologically and genetically, it is sister species to A. middendorffii . Specimens from Bolshoi Shantar Island in the Sea of Okhotsk were suggested to be conspecific with A. gromouvi. If this relationship can be confirmed with nucleotide sequences, then Alexandromys shantaricus named by S. I. Ognev in 1929 predates A. gromovi. Monotypic.

Distribution. EC Russian Far East along N & W coast of Sea of Okhotsk (S Magadan Region, N & C Khabarovsk Krai, and SE Yakutia [= Sakha Republic]).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-130 mm, tail 28-44 mm, ear 10-13 mm, hindfoot 16-20 mm; weight 17-51 g. Male Gromov’s Voles are larger than females. Fur color of head and upperparts is dark gray-brown and heavily shaded ocher-brown, underparts are ash-gray, and tail is distinctly bicolored. Sole of foot has five plantar pads. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FN = 60.

Habitat. Riparian habitats in boreal coniferous forest zone. Gromov’s Vole occupies sedge-herb meadows in river valleys and lake depressions.

Food and Feeding. Captive Gromov’s Voles eat vegetables, oats, bread, willow ( Salix, Salicaceae) bark, and green grass.

Breeding. Captive Gromov’s Voles have litters of 1-7 young (average 4-2), and intervals between pregnancies are 22-85 days (average 42-8).

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Abramson & Lissovsky (2012), Bannikova et al. (2010), Dokuchaev (2014), Gromov & Erbajeva (1995), Lissovsky & Obolenskaya (2011), Lissovsky et al. (2010), Ognev (1929), Sablina et al. (2015), Sheremetyeva et al. (2009).