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Long-tailed Vole

Microtus longicaudus

French: Campagnol a longue queue / German: Langschwanz-Wiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de cola larga

Other common names: Coronation Island Vole (coronarius), San Bernardino Long-tailed Vole (bernardinus)

Taxonomy. Arvicola (Mynomes) longicaudus Merriam, 1888, “Custer (in the Black Hills), [Custer County, South] Dakota,” USA.

Fifteen subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

M.l.longicaudusMerriam,1888—widelydistributedfromCAlaskaStoCNewMexico,USA.

M.l.abditusA.B.Howell,1923—N&CcoastalOregon,USA.

M.l.alticolaMerriam,1890—SEUtahandNArizona,USA.

M.l.angusticepsBailey,1898—ScoastalOregonandNcoastalCalifornia,USA.

M.l.bailey:Goldman,1938—NCArizona,USA.

M.l.bernardinusMerriam,1908—SCCalifornia,USA.

M.l.coronariusSwarth,1911—Coronation,Warren,andForresterIsinSEAlaska,USA.

M.l.halliHayman&Holt,1941—SEWashingtonandNEOregon,USA.

M.l.incanusLee&Durrant,1960—HenryMtsofSCUtah,USA.M..latusHall,1931—CNevadaandWUtah,USA.

M.l.leucophaeusJ.A.Allen,1894—knownonlyfromGrahamMts,SEArizona,USA.

M.l.littoralisSwarth,1933—coastalSEAlaska,USA.

M.l.macrurusMerriam,1898—fromCBritishColumbiaStoEWashington,USA.

M.l.sierraeKellogg,1922—fromtheOregonborderStoECCalifornia,USA.

M. l. vellerosus J. A. Allen, 1899 — widely distributed from EC Alaska SE to SE British Columbia and SW Alberta, Canada.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 106-140 mm, tail 49-81 mm, ear 13-15-8 mm, hindfoot 20-25 mm; weight 37-59 g (males and females are similar in weight). The Long-tailed Vole is relatively small, with a long bicolored tail. Head-body is 1-6-1-9 times as long as tail. Dorsal pelage is grizzled with cinnamon buff to darker cinnamon brown hairs, interspersed with black hairs. Sides are lighter, and venter is whitish to gray to cinnamon. Braincase is wide, with large rounded bullae, and rostrum is elongate. There is substantial phylogeographic variation across the distribution.

Habitat. Diverse habitats. In arid southern part of the distribution, Long-tailed Voles are found in mountain forests of spruce (Picea sp.)fir (Abiessp.), both Pinaceae, and riparian meadows or along stream ecotonal habitats with willow (Salix spp., Salicaceae). Farther north, they are found in boreal habitats and arid sagebrush and grasslands. They have been reported in heavily logged forests in the northern part of the distribution in Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, and Alaska.

Food and Feeding. Diets of Long-tailed Voles include green vegetation, seeds, berries, and fungi. In winter, they eat inner bark of shrubs and trees.

Breeding. Long-tailed Voles are not long-lived. Females produce a maximum of two litters in their life, with no individuals surviving to a second reproductive season in coastal Alaska. They breed in May—October. Litters average c.5 young (range 2-8).

Activity patterns. Long-tailed Voles are terrestrial and active throughout the day and year; most activity in Alsaka was nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Densities are relatively low (typically 5-16 ind/ha, rarely as high as 120 ind/ha in New Mexico) and correlated with quality of habitat, especially plant cover to escape predation.

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

Bibliography. Bradley, Ammerman et al. (2014), Conroy & Cook (1998, 2000a, 2000b), Hall (1981), MacDonald & Cook (2009), Smolen & Keller (1987), Van Horne (1982, 1983), Wilson & Ruff (1999).