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The Social Vole Microtus socialis in the Near East
Author(s) -
Kryštufek B.,
Kefelioǧlu H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
mammal review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.574
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2907
pISSN - 0305-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2001.00088.x
Subject(s) - vole , rostrum , microtus , discriminant function analysis , biology , zoology , demography , statistics , population , sociology , genus , mathematics
The Social Vole Microtus socialis differs from non ‐socialis voles from Iran by its smaller size and relatively broader inter‐orbital region. Discriminant Function Analysis based on 14 cranial measurements classified all Iranian specimens into their actual group (i.e. socialis or non ‐socialis ). A dotted distribution map of M. socialis is provided for Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran. Isolated records from Khorassan and Fars, both in Iran, are discussed. Inter‐locality variations were significant in dimensions of the tooth‐row, diastema, rostrum, bullae and braincase breadth. The postero‐internal loop of the second upper molar was either absent or rare; only in voles from Lebanon and Syria was the incidence of this morphotype observed in about one‐third of the specimens. Marginal populations seemed to be morphologically most distant.