East European vole explained

The East European vole (Microtus mystacinus) is a species of vole (rodent) in the family Cricetidae.

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Iran, Svalbard (accidentally introduced from 1920), North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and Norway.

Taxonomy

On Svalbard, they were first discovered in 1960 in the Grumantbyen area, and were thought to be the common vole until a genetic analysis correctly identified them in 1990.^{[1] [2]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sibling Vole (Microtus levis). The Norwegian Polar Institute . 4 January 2024.
2. Karl Fredga . Maarit Jaarola . Rolf Anker Ims . Harald Steen . The 'common vole' in Svalbard identified as Microtus epiroticus by chromosome analysis . December 1990. Polar Research. 8. 2. 283–290 . 10.3402/polar.v8i2.6818 .