Red-backed vole

Red-backed voles
Temporal range: Late Pliocene–Recent
Southern red-backed vole, Myodes gapperi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Arvicolinae
Genus: Myodes
Pallas, 1811
Species
Synonyms

Red-backed voles are small, slender voles of the genus Myodes found in North America, Europe and Asia.[1] The genus name comes from the Greek "keyhole mouse". In the past, the genus has been called Evotomys or Clethrionomys, but Myodes takes precedence.

Red-backed voles inhabit northern forests, tundra and bogs. They feed on shrubs, berries and roots. Most species have reddish brown fur on their back. They have small eyes and ears. Unlike other voles, the molar teeth are rooted in adults.

The complete list of species is:

References

  1. Musser, G.G.; Carleton, M.D. (2005). "Genus Myodes". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 1020–1030. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.


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