108.

Irene Mountain Vole

Neodon irene

French: Campagnol irene / German: Gansu-Felswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Irene

Other common names: Chinese Scrub Vole, Irene’s Mountain Vole

Taxonomy. Microtus irene Thomas, 1911, Tatsienlu, Sichuan, China.

In the past, N. irene was considered conspecific with N. sikimensis. According to G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 and Liu Shaoying and colleagues in 2012, they are distinct. Neodon irene includes oniscus as synonym. Monotypic.

Distribution. High mountains of C China in Qinghai, S Gansu, NE Tibetan Plateau, W Sichuan, and NW Yunnan.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-108 mm, tail 22-40 mm, ear 11-15 mm, hindfoot 15-19 mm; weight 23-38 g. Irene Mountain Vole is very similar to the Sikkim Mountain Vole (N. sikimensis). Dorsal pelage is grayish brown, brighter or ocherous brown along sides, blending into dark gray ventral pelage. Tail is brownish above and white below. Upper surfaces of feet are brownish white. Females have eight mammae. Skull has week temporal ridges. M has three closed triangles.

Habitat. Alpine meadows and shrubby banks on hillsides. Several Irene Mountain Voles were trapped in fields of rape seed; they prefer more grassy habitats. It was collected at Qionglai Shan (elevations 2900-3660 m), W Sichuan,in the trap line together with Pere David's Red-backed Vole (Eothenomys melanogaster) and Marie’s Vole (Volemys musseri).

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. A female Irene Mountain Vole captured in August had three embryos.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Ellerman & Morrison-Scott (1951), Gruber (1969), Lawrence (1982), Liu Shaoying, Sun Zhiyu et al (2012), Lunde (2008), Musser & Carleton (2005), Smith (2016b).