174.

Kopet Dag Pine Vole

Microtus paradoxus

French: Campagnol paradoxal / German: Turkmenistan-Wihlmaus / Spanish: Topillo de Kopet Dag

Other common names: Paradox Vole

Taxonomy. Chilotus paradoxus Ognev & Heptner, 1928, Chuli, near Ashkhabad, Kopet Dag Mountains, SW Turkmenistan.

Microtus paradoxus is in subgenus Sumeriomys and socialis species group. In the past, it was synonymized with socialis or rani. Karyotype (2n = 62) is same as in socials; however, the two species differ in morphology and cytochrome-b sequences. Hybrids between them are fertile. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to the Kopet Dag in SW Turkmenistan and adjacent Iran; it may also occur in SE Turkmenistan, but recorded specimen could be misslabeled.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 91-116 mm (males) and 87-122 mm (females), tail 22-30 mm (males) and 21-30 mm (females); weight 30-46 g (males) and 35-62-5 g (females). The Kopet Dag Pine Vole is large and social, with tail ¢.25% of head-body length. There are five plantar pads, exceptionally six. Females have two pairs of pectoral and two pairs of inguinal nipples (eight nipples in total). Fur is soft, buffy gray on back and light gray on belly. Skull is heavily built, with widely expanded zygomatic arches, wide interorbital region, squarish braincase, and swollen bullae. Alveolar process on lateral side of mandibular ramus is faint. Dental formulaisI 1/1, C0/0,P 0/0, M 3/3 (x2) = 16. Incisors are orthodont. M' and M? have prominent postero-lingual loop; M? has four inner and 3—4 outer salient angles.

Habitat. Steppes, often in places shaded by bushes and tree canopies, at elevations of 1000-2500 m. In arid lower elevations of 300-1000 m, the Kopet Dag Pine Vole is restricted to moist places in valleys and slopes;it is also found in orchards and alfalfa fields.

Food and Feeding. The Kopet Dag Pine Vole feeds on green plants, seeds, and fruits. Fourty-five plant species from 15 different families have been found in its diet. Majority of diet is made up of cereal plants and grains, daisy plants ( Asteraceae), legumes ( Fabaceae), and mustards ( Brassicaceae). Food is stored, and caches can contain up to 2.3-5 kg.

Breeding. Breeding of Kopet Dag Pine Voles starts in February-March, peaks in May, and declines afterward. Females can bestill pregnant in late October. Lowest weight of a pregnant female is 25 g. Ovulation is induced. Gestation lasts 21-22 days. Numbers of embryos are 3-10/female, but three-quarters of females have 5-7 embryos (mean 5-8). In captivity, litters have 1-7 young (mean 4-2). On average, females have litters every 43-6 days. Postpartum estrus is possible, but females normally copulate when lactation ends. Young females can breed in May. Litters of primiparous females are, on average, larger than those of multiparous females. Young are born nude, blind, and deaf. Hair starts emerging at 5 day old, and eyes open at 13-14 days old.

Activity patterns. Kopet Dag Pine Voles are active year-round. They are crepuscular in late spring and summer, but daily activity has been observed in winter and early spring (March). Most activity is restricted to burrows, and individuals make only short appearance (3-5 minutes) aboveground. In winter, they are active under snow. Entrances are 3—4 cm in diameter. Tunnels start branching at depths of 20-25 cm and descend to 60-70 cm. The Kopet Dag Pine Vole is reportedly neophobic and slow to explore new environments.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kopet Dag Pine Voleslive in small family groups. Their burrow systems have 9-30 entrances, cover 6-12 m? and are spaced 5-30 m (mean 10-5 m). Ranges of family groups merge into colonies that spread over 100-300 m*. Kopet Dag Pine Voles are more aggressive in intraspecific encounters than other social congeners.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Overall distribution of the Kopet Dag Pine Vole is ¢.50,000,000 km?. Poor habitat management and increased aridity has reduced populations and caused local extinctions.

Bibliography. Gromov & Erbajeva (1995), Krystufek, Zorenko & Buzan (2012), Marinina (2005d), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005), Zima et al. (2013), Zorenko (2013), Zorenko & Golenishchev (2016b), Zykov & Zagorodnyuk (1988).