128.

Mediterranean Field Vole

Microtus lavernedii

French: Campagnol de Lavernéde / German: Siidliche Erdmaus / Spanish: Topillo de campo mediterraneo

Taxonomy. Arvicola lavernedii Crespon, 1844, marshes between St.-Gilles and Aigues-Mortes, Gard, France.

Formerly treated as a subspecies of M. agrestis but now elevated to species status based on highly divergent nucleoide sequences. A narrow parapatric zone between agrestis and lavernedii was identified in the Swiss Jura. Introgression was confirmed only for a maternally inherited mitochondrial marker; it was absent for the Y-chromosome. Monotypic.

Distribution. Mediterranean Europe in N Spain, S France, W & S Switzerland, N Italy, S Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, N Bosnia and Herzegovina, and NE Serbia.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 97-140 mm, tail 26-55 mm; weight 20-5-59 g. The Mediterranean Field Vole is morphologically indistinguishable from the Short-tailed Field Vole ( Microtus agrestis) and the Portuguese Field Vole ( M. rozianus). Females have two pairs of pectoral and two pairs of inguinal nipples. A supplementary postero-lingual triangle is rarely present on M' and tends to be small on M2.

Habitat. Ungrazed and humid pastures with tall tufted hair-grass ( Deschampsia cespitosa), shaggy wooreed ( Calamagrostis villosa), and purple moor-grass ( Molinia caerulea), all Poaceae; rushes ( Juncus, Juncaceae); sedges ( Carex, Cyperaceae); and Alpine dock ( Rumex alpinus, Polygonaceae). Preferred habitats of Mediterranean Field Voles also include stands of mead wort ( Filipendula ulmaria, Rosaceae) and reeds ( Phragmites australis, Poaceae), and marshy or humid forests of gray alder ( Alnus incana, Betulaceae); white willow ( Salix alba) and poplar ( Populus), both Salicaceae; ash ( Fraxinus, Oleaceae), and pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur, Fagaceae). Aggregates of Mediterranean Field Voles can be found in dense,tall, and lush herbaceous vegetation along watercourses and drainage ditches.

Food and Feeding. The Mediterranean Field Vole is herbivorous, with a diet similar to the Short-tailed Field Vole.

Breeding. Breeding season of the Mediterranean Field Vole occurs in March—-October, and numbers of embryos are 1-7/female (mean 4-3).

Activity patterns. Mediterranean Field Voles are active round-the-clock. They build surface nests (20-30 cm in diameter) that are hidden in dense tall vegetation and under tussocks of grasses or sedges.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List as a distinct species. Conservation status of the Mediterranean Field Vole is in need of assessment because its distribution is comparatively small and habitats are fragmented and declining.

Bibliography. Amori, Contoli & Nappi (2008), Beysard et al. (2012), Jaarola & Searle (2002), Krapp & Niethammer (1982), KryStufek et al. (1989), Locatelli & Paolucci (1996), Paupério et al. (2012).