141.

Mogollon Vole

Microtus mogollonensis

French: Campagnol des Mogollon / German: Mogollon-Wiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de Mogollén

Other common names: Hualpai Vole (hualpaiensis), Navajo Vole (navaho)

Taxonomy. Arvicola mogollonensis Mearns, 1890, Bakers Butte, Mogollon Mountains, Coconino County, Arizona.

Taxonomic status and distributional limits of M. mogollonensis remain unsettled. It was considered a subspecies of M. mexicanus by some authorities; however, variation in chromosomes, DNA sequences, and morphological attributes suggest that populations in the USA and potentially northern Mexico are not conspecific with other populations found farther south-east in Mexico. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

M.m.mogollonensisMearns,1890—EArizona,extremeSWColorado,andWNewMexico,USA.

M.m.guadalupensisBailey,1902—fromECNewMexicoStoGuadalupeMtsofTexas,USA.

M.m.hualpaiensisGoldman,1938—knownonlyfromHualapaiPeak,MohaveCounty,Arizona,USA.

M. m. navaho Benson, 1934 — known only from Navajo Mt in S Utah and N Arizona, USA.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 109-127 mm, tail 24-35 mm, ear 12-15 mm, hindfoot 17-21 mm; weight 25-43 g. Dorsal pelage of the Mogollon Vole is grizzled with cinnamon buff to darker cinnamon-brown hair, interspersed with black hair. Sides are lighter, and venter is whitish to gray to cinnamon. Tail is relatively short and slightly bicolored, darker on top and lighter below.

Habitat. Grassor forb-dominated montane meadows. On the Colorado Plateau, Mogollon Voles are found in montane shrublands with scattered Quercus gambelii (Fagaceae), funiperus spp. ( Cupressaceae), Pinus ponderosa ( Pinaceae), Purshia tridentata and Cercocarpus spp. (both Rosaceae), Symphoricarpos albus ( Caprifoliaceae), and understories of grasses (e.g. Agropyron smithii, Festuca idahoensis, Phleum pratense, and Bouteloua curtipendula, all Poaceae). At northern edges of the distribution in Colorado, highelevation valleys with irrigated fields of alfalfa and other agricultural crops adjacent to pine forests can provide excellent habitat.

Food and Feeding. Mogollon Voles eat green leaves of C, grasses including bluegrass ( Poa pratensis) and fescue ( Festuca arizonica).

Breeding. Mogollon Voles are able to breed almost year-round.

Activity patterns. Mogollon Voles are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Densities of Mogollon Voles in the Sacramento Mountains of south-central New Mexico were 10-50 ind/ha during a twoyear study.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List, where it is considered conspecific with the Mexican Vole ( M. mexicanus), which is classified as Least Concern.

Bibliography. Bailey (1932), Bradley, Ammerman et al. (2014), Chambers & Doucett (2008), Conley (1976), Crawford et al. (2011), Frey (1999), Frey & LaRue (1993), Frey et al. (2002), Judd (1980), Modi (1987), Musser & Carleton (2005), Wilson & Ruff (1999).