The subfamily Arvicolinae

The genus Eolagurus

The Arvicolinae are a subfamily of rodents that includes the voles, lemmings, and muskrats. They are most closely related to the other subfamilies in the Cricetidae (comprising the hamsters and New World rats and mice). Some authorities place the subfamily Arvicolinae in the family Muridae along with all other members of the superfamily Muroidea. Some refer to the subfamily as the Microtinae (yielding the adjective "microtine") or rank the taxon as a full family, the Arvicolidae.

The Arvicolinae are the most populous group of Rodentia in the Northern Hemisphere. They often are found in fossil occlusions of bones cached by past predators such as owls and other birds of prey. Fossils of this group are often used for biostratigraphic dating of paleontological and archeological sites in North America and Europe.

Classification

Subfamily Arvicolinae - voles, lemmings, muskrats.

The subfamily Arvicolinae contains eleven tribes, eight of which are classified as voles, two as lemmings, and one as muskrats. Recent changes to the subfamily include disbanding genus Myodes in favor of genera Clethrionomys and Craseomys (and disbanding Myodini in favor of Clethrionomyini), moving most of the genera from Arvicolini to Microtini, and renaming Phenacomyini as Pliophenacomyini.

Tribe Arvicolini:

• Genus Arvicola - water voles:
• European (or Northern) water vole (Arvicola amphibius or Arvicola terrestris);
• Southwestern (or southern) water vole (Arvicola sapidus);
• Montane water vole (Arvicola scherman);
• Tribe Microtini;
• Genus Alexandromys:
• Alpine vole (Alexandromys alpinus) split off from A. Mongolicus;
• Evorsk vole (Alexandromys evoronensis);
• Reed vole (Alexandromys fortis);
• Taiwan vole (Alexandromys kikuchii);
• Lacustrine vole (Alexandromys limnophilus);
• Maximowicz's vole (Alexandromys maximowiczii);
• Middendorff's vole (Alexandromys middendorffi);
• Mongolian vole (Alexandromys mongolicus);
• Japanese grass vole (Alexandromys montebelli);
• Muya Valley vole (Alexandromys mujanensis);
• Tundra vole or root vole (Alexandromys oeconomus);
• Sakhalin vole (Alexandromys sachalinensis);
• Shantar vole (Alexandromys shantaricus) split off from A. Maximowiczii.
• Genus Chionomys - snow voles:
• Caucasian snow vole, Chionomys gud;
• European snow vole, Chionomys nivalis;
• Robert's snow vole, Chionomys roberti;
• Lazistan snow vole (Chionomys lasistanius) split from Chionomys gud;
• Stekolnikov's snow vole (Chionomys stekolnikovi) recently described.
• Genus Hyperacrius - voles from Pakistan:
• True's vole, Hyperacrius fertilis;
• Murree vole, Hyperacrius wynnei;
• Genus Lasiopodomys:
• Brandt's vole, Lasiopodomys brandtii;
• Mandarin vole, Lasiopodomys mandarinus.
• Genus Lemmiscus:
• Sagebrush vole, Lemmiscus curtatus.
• Genus Microtus – voles:
• Insular vole, Microtus abbreviatus;
• California vole, Microtus californicus;
• Rock vole, Microtus chrotorrhinus;
• Long-tailed vole, Microtus longicaudus;
• Mexican vole, Microtus mexicanus;
• Singing vole, Microtus miurus;
• North American water vole, Microtus richardsoni;
• Zempoaltépec vole, Microtus umbrosus;
• Taiga vole, Microtus xanthognathus;
• Subgenus Microtus;
• Field vole, Microtus agrestis;
• Anatolian vole, Microtus anatolicus;
• Common vole, Microtus arvalis;
• Cabrera's vole, Microtus cabrerae;
• Doğramaci's vole, Microtus dogramacii;
• Elbeyli vole, Microtus elbeyli;
• Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri;
• Harting's vole, Microtus hartingii;
• Tien Shan vole, Microtus ilaeus;
• Persian vole, Microtus irani;
• Mediterranean field vole, Microtus lavernedii;
• Turkish vole, Microtus lydius;
• Kerman vole, Microtus kermanensis;
• Southern vole, Microtus levis;
• Paradox vole, Microtus paradoxus;
• Qazvin vole, Microtus qazvinensis;
• Portuguese field vole, Microtus rosianus;
• Schidlovsky's vole, Microtus schidlovskii;
• Social vole, Microtus socialis;
• European pine vole, Microtus subterraneus;
• Transcaspian vole, Microtus transcaspicus;
• Subgenus Blanfordimys;
• Afghan vole, Microtus afghanus;
• Bucharian vole, Microtus bucharicus;
• Juniper vole, Microtus juldaschi;
• Subgenus Terricola;
• Bavarian pine vole, Microtus bavaricus;
• Calabria pine vole, Microtus brachycercus;
• Daghestan pine vole, Microtus daghestanicus;
• Mediterranean pine vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus;
• Felten's vole, Microtus felteni;
• Liechtenstein's pine vole, Microtus liechtensteini;
• Lusitanian pine vole, Microtus lusitanicus;
• Major's pine vole, Microtus majori;
• Alpine pine vole, Microtus multiplex;
• Sicilian pine vole, Microtus nebrodensis;
• Savi's pine vole, Microtus savii;
• Tatra pine vole, Microtus tatricus;
• Thomas's pine vole, Microtus thomasi;
• Subgenus Mynomes;
• Gray-tailed vole, Microtus canicaudus;
• Western meadow vole, Microtus drummondi;
• Florida salt marsh vole, Microtus dukecampbelli;
• Montane vole, Microtus montanus;
• Creeping vole, Microtus oregoni;
• Eastern meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus;
• Townsend's vole, Microtus townsendii;
• Subgenus Pitymys;
• Guatemalan vole, Microtus guatemalensis;
• Tarabundí vole, Microtus oaxacensis;
• Woodland vole, Microtus pinetorum;
• Jalapan pine vole, Microtus quasiater;
• Subgenus Pedomys;
• Prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster;
• Subgenus Hyrcanicola;
• Schelkovnikov's pine vole, Microtus schelkovnikovi.
• Genus Mictomicrotus:
• Liangshan vole, Mictomicrotus liangshanensis.
• Genus Neodon - mountain voles:
• Bershula mountain vole (Neodon bershulaensis);
• Bomi mountain vole (Neodon bomiensis);
• Chayu mountain vole (Neodon chayuensis);
• Clarke's vole (Neodon clarkei);
• Forrest's mountain vole (Neodon forresti);
• Plateau vole (Neodon fuscus);
• Chinese scrub vole (Neodon irene);
• Blyth's vole (Neodon leucurus);
• Liao Rui's mountain vole (Neodon liaoruii);
• Linzhi mountain vole (Neodon linzhiensis);
• Medog mountain vole (Neodon medogensis);
• Namchabarwa mountain vole (Neodon namchabarwaensis);
• Nepalese mountain vole (Neodon nepalensis);
• Nyalam mountain vole (Neodon nyalamensis);
• Shergyla mountain vole (Neodon shergylaensis);
• Sikkim mountain vole (Neodon sikimensis).
• Genus Proedromys;
• Duke of Bedford's vole (Proedromys bedfordi).
• Genus Stenocranius:
• Narrow-headed vole (Stenocranius gregalis);
• Radde's vole (Stenocranius raddei).
• Genus Volemys:
• Szechuan vole (Volemys millicens);
• Marie's vole (Volemys musseri);
• Tribe Dicrostonychini - collared lemmings.
• Genus Dicrostonyx:
• Northern collared lemming, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus;
• Nelson's collared lemming, Dicrostonyx nelsoni;
• Ungava collared lemming, Dicrostonyx hudsonius;
• Ogilvie Mountains collared lemming, Dicrostonyx nunatakensis;
• Richardson's collared lemming, Dicrostonyx richardsoni;
• Arctic lemming, Dicrostonyx torquatus;
• Unalaska collared lemming, Dicrostonyx unalascensis;
• Tribe Ellobiusini - mole voles;
• Genus Ellobius - mole voles:
• Alai mole vole, Ellobius alaicus;
• Southern mole vole, Ellobius fuscocapillus;
• Transcaucasian mole vole, Ellobius lutescens;
• Northern mole vole, Ellobius talpinus;
• Zaisan mole vole, Ellobius tancrei;
• Tribe Lagurini.
• Genus Eolagurus:
• Yellow steppe lemming, Eolagurus luteus;
• Przewalski's steppe lemming, Eolagurus przewalskii.
• Genus Lagurus:
• Steppe lemming, Lagurus lagurus;
• Tribe Lemmini.
• Genus Lemmus - true lemmings:
• Amur lemming, Lemmus amurensis;
• Norway lemming, Lemmus lemmus;
• Beringian lemming, Lemmus nigripes;
• East Siberian lemming, Lemmus paulus;
• West Siberian lemming, Lemmus sibiricus;
• Canadian lemming, Lemmus trimucronatus.
• Genus Myopus:
• Wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor.
• Genus Synaptomys - bog lemmings:
• Northern bog lemming, Synaptomys borealis;
• Southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi;
• Tribe Clethrionomyini.
• Genus Alticola - voles from Central Asia:
• Subgenus Alticola;
• White-tailed mountain vole, Alticola albicauda;
• Silver mountain vole, Alticola argentatus;
• Gobi Altai mountain vole, Alticola barakshin;
• Central Kashmir vole, Alticola montosa;
• Royle's mountain vole, Alticola roylei;
• Mongolian silver vole, Alticola semicanus;
• Stolička's mountain vole, Alticola stoliczkanus;
• Tuva silver vole, Alticola tuvinicus;
• Subgenus Aschizomys;
• Lemming vole, Alticola lemminus;
• Large-eared vole, Alticola macrotis;
• Lake Baikal mountain vole, Alticola olchonensis;
• Subgenus Platycranius;
• Flat-headed vole, Alticola strelzowi.
• Genus Caryomys:
• Ganzu vole, Caryomys eva;
• Kolan vole, Caryomys inez.
• Genus Eothenomys - voles from East Asia:
• Kachin red-backed vole, Eothenomys cachinus;
• Pratt's vole, Eothenomys chinensis;
• Southwest China vole, Eothenomys custos;
• Père David's vole, Eothenomys melanogaster;
• Yunnan red-backed vole, Eothenomys miletus;
• Chaotung vole, Eothenomys olitor;
• Yulungshan vole, Eothenomys proditor;
• Ward's red-backed vole, Eothenomys wardi;
• Genus Craseomys - red-backed voles:
• Anderson's red-backed vole, Craseomys andersoni;
• Imaizumi's red-backed vole, Craseomys imaizumii;
• Korean red-backed vole, Craseomys regulus;
• Hokkaido red-backed vole, Craseomys rex;
• Grey red-backed vole, Craseomys rufocanus;
• Shansei vole, Craseomys shanseius;
• Smith's vole, Craseomys smithii.
• Genus Clethrionomys - red-backed voles:
• Western red-backed vole, Clethrionomys californicus;
• Tien Shan red-backed vole, Clethrionomys centralis;
• Southern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys gapperi;
• Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus;
• Northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus;
• Tribe Ondatrini – muskrats.
• Genus Neofiber:
• Round-tailed muskrat, Neofiber alleni.
• Genus Ondatra:
• Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus;
• Tribe Pliophenacomyini.
• Genus Arborimus - tree voles:
• White-footed vole, Arborimus albipes;
• Red tree vole, Arborimus longicaudus;
• Sonoma tree vole or California red tree mouse, Arborimus pomo.
• Genus Phenacomys - heather voles:
• Western heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius;
• Eastern heather vole, Phenacomys ungava;
• Tribe Pliomyini.
• Genus Dinaromys:
• Balkan snow vole, Dinaromys bogdanovi;
• Tribe Prometheomyini.
• Genus Prometheomys:
• Long-clawed mole vole, Prometheomys schaposchnikowi.

• Fossil species
• Tribe Arvicolini:
• Genus Mimomys †;
• Tribe Dicrostonychini - collared lemmings:
• Genus Predicrostonyx †;
• Hopkins's lemming, Predicrostonyx hopkinsi †;
• Tribe Clethrionomyini:
• Genus Altaiomys †;
• Genus Pitymimomys †;
• Genus Borsodia †;
• Genus Allophaiomys †;
• Genus Prolagurus †.

The genus Eolagurus

Eolagurus is a genus of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It contains the following species:

• Yellow steppe lemming (Eolagurus luteus);
• Przewalski's steppe lemming (Eolagurus przewalskii).

Eolagurus reach a relatively large size among voles - body length up to 200 mm. The auricles are covered with long hairs, the colouration of the top is light, sandy in colour.

The yellow steppe lemming (Eolagurus luteus)

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The yellow steppe lemming (Eolagurus luteus) is listed in the Red Book of Russia

The yellow steppe lemming (Eolagurus luteus) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. Its natural habitat is temperate desert.

Distinguishing features

Eolagurus luteus is a small (but much larger than a mouse) sandy-yellow animal. Its body length varies from 105 to 210 mm, its short tail is short, its length reaches 11-30 mm, covered with long hair, eyes and ears are small; whiskers are dark, of medium size. The coat of the yellow mottled hamster is sandy or light brown, the ends of the hairs are black, which gives the colour a dark cast; the belly is lighter, and there is no black separating stripe on the back, which is characteristic of other hamsters. The feet of the animal are covered with hairs, there are small calluses on the feet, the fingers of yellow quills have small claws, the third finger is longer than the others.

Lifestyle and habits

Eolagurus luteus lives in colonial settlements in burrows, which are a rather complex system of passages with four or five holes leading to the surface. The main part of the excavated tunnels runs at a depth of about 50 cm, below which there are only three or four oval-shaped nesting chambers, which the Yellow Quill thoroughly lined with leaves of cereals and wormwood. On the surface, the outcrops are connected by well-defined paths.

Where they live and what they feed on

Eolagurus luteus spends most of its time in burrows. It is most active in the first half of the day when it goes out for food. In the diet of Eolagurus luteus prevail green parts of cereals, as well as white wormwood, which grows in large quantities in the habitat of the animal. Occasionally, the Yellow-rumped Petrel is not averse to eating insects. It finds food not far from the exit of the burrow, digging a new one each time when everything around it is eaten. In drought years, if there is a shortage of food, it moves to higher ground.

Reproduction

Eolagurus luteus breeds two to three times a year, with a pregnancy lasting only 18 days. There are five to eight cubs in a litter, which are capable of producing offspring after four weeks.

Habitat

Eolagurus luteus is a rare animal with a pulsating habitat. It prefers to settle in deserts and semi-deserts, which are located at the foot of mountains; it prefers clay areas, and is often found on soils rich in sodium, the so-called solonets. In Russia, there have been only sporadic sightings of this species in the southern Altai Mountains near the border with Kazakhstan and China. The main habitat of the animal is the north-western part of China; small settlements are also known in Mongolia and Kazakhstan.