Microtus oregoni — Details

Creeping Vole learn more about names for this taxon

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Overview

Brief Summary

Description

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Creeping Voles are found in moist coniferous forests at all stages of forest succession, from old growth to recent clear-cuts. In fact, population density is probably higher in recently cut areas where more sunlight reaches the ground and more grasses and herbs grow. They are good burrowers, and they spend more time below the leaf litter than above it. Their nests are built underground or under rotting logs or root clumps. About a third of their diet may be fungi, and the rest grasses and forbs. They are quite small and have tinier eyes than most other voles. They have sooty-gray to dark brown or almost black fur mixed with yellowish hairs, and a gray or white belly.

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Mammal Species of the World
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Original description: Bachman, J., 1839. Description of several new species of American quadrupeds, p. 60. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Part 1, 8:57-74.

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Distribution

Range Description

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This species is found in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, south through western Washington and western Oregon to northwestern California in the United States.

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occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

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National Distribution

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Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

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Global Range: Southwestern British Columbia south through western Washington and western Oregon to northwestern California.

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Physical Description

Size

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Length: 16 cm

Weight: 31 grams

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Size in North America

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Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger than females.

Length:
Average: 140 mm
Range: 130-153 mm

Weight:
Range: 17-20 g

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

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Habitat and Ecology

It is found in the moist forests of the Pacific coast, brushy, grassy areas. It is most abundant in more xeric sites, especially those supporting stands of short grass, but may favour riparian areas in some localities. More abundant in clearcuts than in virgin forest. It occupies shallow burrows and low cover.

Young are born in nests, dry grasses are placed in cavities under logs or in similar protected sites. Breeding occurs mainly from March to September in Oregon and British Columbia. Gestation is approximately 23 days. Females are estimated to produce a maximum of four or five litters per year, with approximately three to four young per litter.

Diet consists primarily of green vegetation (presumably both forbs and grasses); they also eat fungi. Although active at any time, this species is most active at night.

Systems

Terrestrial

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Comments: Moist forests of Pacific coast, brushy, grassy areas. Most abundant in more xeric sites, especially those supporting stands of short grass, but may favor riparian areas in some localities. More abundant in clearcuts than in virgin forest. Occupies shallow burrows and low cover. Young are born in nests dry grasses placed in cavities under logs or in similar protected sites.

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Migration

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Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

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Trophic Strategy

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Comments: Eats primarily green vegetation (presumably both forbs and grasses); also eats fungi.

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Life History and Behavior

Cyclicity

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Comments: Although active at any time, this species is most active at night.

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Reproduction

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Breeds mainly Mar.-Sept. in OR and British Columbia. Gestation ca. 23 days. Females estimated to produce maximum of 4 or 5 litters/yr., with approximately 3-4 young/litter.

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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment

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Red List Category

LC

Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2008

Assessor/s

Linzey, A.V. & NatureServe (Hammerson, G.)

Reviewer/s

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Chanson, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Contributor/s

Justification

Listed as Least Concern, although it has a patchy distribution and sometimes is uncommon, its population is thought to be stable, it is adaptable and there are no major threats.

History

1996

Lower Risk/least concern

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National NatureServe Conservation Status

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Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

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NatureServe Conservation Status

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Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

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Trends

Population

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Population

This species is considered secure within its range (NatureServe). Densities vary with habitat and over time due to changes in habitat quality. They can be fewer than 15 per hectare in mature forests, and up to 138 per hectare in clear cuts and old fields.

Population Trend

Stable

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Threats

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Major Threats

There are no major threats to this species. In coastal British Columbia, creeping voles were apparently unaffected by herbicide treatment of Douglas-fir plantation (Sullivan 1990).

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Comments: In coastal British Columbia, apparently was unaffected by herbicide treatment of Douglas-fir plantation (Sullivan 1990).

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Management

Conservation Actions

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Conservation Actions

This species is not of conservation concern and its range includes several protected areas.

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Wikipedia

Creeping vole

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The Creeping Vole (Microtus oregoni) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in British Columbia in Canada and in California, Oregon and Washington in the United States.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Linzey, A.V. & Hammerson, G. (2008). "Microtus oregoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/42632. Retrieved 04 February 2010.

Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Extant species of subfamily Arvicolinae

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Eutheria
Superorder: Euarchontoglires
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae

Arvicola (Water voles)	European Water Vole (A. amphibius) Southwestern Water Vole (A. sapidus) Montane Water Vole (A. scherman)

Blanfordimys	Afghan Vole (B. afghanus) Bucharian Vole (B. bucharicus)

Chionomys (Snow voles)	Caucasian Snow Vole (C. gud) European Snow Vole (C. nivalis) Robert's Snow Vole (C. roberti)

Lasiopodomys	Brandt's Vole (L. brandtii) Plateau Vole (L. fuscus) Mandarin Vole (L. mandarinus)

Lemmiscus	Sagebrush Vole (L. curtatus)

Microtus (Voles)	Subgenus Microtus: Field Vole (M. agrestis) Anatolian Vole (M. anatolicus) Common Vole (M. arvalis) Cabrera's Vole (M. cabrerae) Doğramaci's Vole (M. dogramacii) Günther's Vole (M. guentheri) Tien Shan Vole (M. ilaeus) Persian Vole (M. irani) Southern Vole (M. levis) Paradox Vole (M. paradoxus) Qazvin Vole (M. qazvinensis) Schidlovsky's Vole (M. schidlovskii) Social Vole (M. socialis) European Pine Vole (M. subterraneus) Transcaspian Vole (M. transcaspicus) Subgenus Terricola: Bavarian Pine Vole (M. bavaricus) Calabria Pine Vole (M. brachycercus) Daghestan Pine Vole (M. daghestanicus) Mediterranean Pine Vole (M. duodecimcostatus) Felten's Vole (M. felteni) Liechtenstein's Pine Vole (M. liechtensteini) Lusitanian Pine Vole (M. lusitanicus) Major's Pine Vole (M. majori) Alpine Pine Vole (M. multiplex) Savi's Pine Vole (M. savii) Tatra Pine Vole (M. tatricus) Thomas's Pine Vole (M. thomasi) Subgenus Mynomes: Beach Vole (M. breweri) Gray-tailed Vole (M. canicaudus) Montane Vole (M. montanus) Creeping Vole (M. oregoni) Meadow Vole (M. pennsylvanicus) Townsend's Vole (M. townsendii) Subgenus Alexandromys: Clarke's Vole (M. clarkei) Evorsk Vole (M. evoronensis) Reed Vole (M. fortis) Gerbe's Vole (M. gerbei) Taiwan Vole (M. kikuchii) Lacustrine Vole (M. limnophilus) Maximowicz's Vole (M. maximowiczii) Middendorf's Vole (M. middendorffi) Mongolian Vole (M. mongolicus) Japanese Grass Vole (M. montebelli) Muisk Vole (M. mujanensis) Tundra Vole (M. oeconomus) Sakhalin Vole (M. sachalinensis) Subgenus Stenocranius: Narrow-headed Vole (M. gregalis) Subgenus Pitymys: Guatemalan Vole (M. guatemalensis) Tarabundí Vole (M. oaxacensis) Woodland Vole (M. pinetorum) Jalapan Pine Vole (M. quasiater) Subgenus Pedomys: Prairie Vole (M. ochrogaster) Subgenus Hyrcanicola: Schelkovnikov's Pine Vole (M. schelkovnikovi) incertae sedis: Insular Vole (M. abbreviatus) California Vole (M. californicus) Rock Vole (M. chrotorrhinus) Long-tailed Vole (M. longicaudus) Mexican Vole (M. mexicanus) Singing Vole (M. miurus) Water Vole (M. richardsoni) Zempoaltépec Vole (M. umbrosus) Taiga Vole (M. xanthognathus)

Neodon (Mountain voles)	Juniper Vole (N. juldaschi) Chinese Scrub Vole (N. irene) Sikkim Mountain Vole (N. sikimensis) Forrest's Mountain Vole (N. forresti)

Phaiomys	Blyth's Vole (P. leucurus)

Proedromys	Duke of Bedford's Vole (P. bedfordi) P. liangshanensis

Volemys	Szechuan Vole (V. millicens) Marie's Vole (V. musseri)

Dicrostonychini
(Collared lemmings)

Dicrostonyx

Ellobiusini
(mole voles)

Ellobius (Mole voles)	Alai Mole Vole (E. alaicus) Southern Mole Vole (E. fuscocapillus) Transcaucasian Mole Vole (E. lutescens) Northern Mole Vole (E. talpinus) Zaisan Mole Vole (E. tancrei)

Lagurini
(Steppe lemmings)

Eolagurus	Yellow Steppe Lemming (E. luteus) Przewalski's Steppe Lemming (E. przewalskii)

Lagurus	Steppe Lemming (L. lagurus)

Lemmini
(Lemmings)

Lemmus (True lemmings)	Amur Lemming (L. amurensis) Norway lemming (L. lemmus) Siberian Brown Lemming (L. sibiricus) North American Brown Lemming (L. trimucronatus) Wrangel Island Lemming (L. portenkoi)

Myopus	Wood Lemming (M. schisticolor)

Synaptomys (Bog lemmings)	Northern Bog Lemming (S. borealis) Southern Bog Lemming (S. cooperi)

Alticola (Voles from Central Asia)	Subgenus Alticola: White-tailed Mountain Vole (A. albicauda) Silver Mountain Vole (A. argentatus) Gobi Altai Mountain Vole (A. barakshin) Central Kashmir Vole (A. montosa) Royle's Mountain Vole (A. roylei) Mongolian Silver Vole (A. semicanus) Stolička's Mountain Vole (A. stoliczkanus) Tuva Silver Vole (A. tuvinicus) Subgenus Aschizomys: Lemming Vole (A. lemminus) Large-eared Vole (A. macrotis) Lake Baikal Mountain Vole (A. olchonensis) Subgenus Platycranius: Flat-headed Vole (A. strelzowi)

Caryomys	Ganzu Vole (C. eva) Kolan Vole (C. inez)

Eothenomys (Voles from East Asia)	Kachin Red-backed Vole (E. cachinus) Pratt's Vole (E. chinensis) Southwest China Vole (E. custos) Père David's Vole (E. melanogaster) Yunnan red-backed vole (E. miletus) Chaotung Vole (E. olitor) Yulungshan Vole (E. proditor) Ward's Red-backed Vole (E. wardi)

Hyperacrius (Voles from Pakistan)	True's Vole (H. fertilis) Murree Vole (H. wynnei)

Myodes (Red-backed voles)	Japanese Red-Backed Vole (M. andersoni) Western Red-backed Vole (M. californicus) Tien Shan Red-backed Vole (M. centralis) Southern Red-backed Vole (M. gapperi) Bank Vole (M. glareolus) Imaizumi's Red-backed Vole (M. imaizumii) Royal Vole (M. regulus) Hokkaido Red-backed Vole (M. rex) Grey Red-backed Vole (M. rufocanus) Northern Red-backed Vole (M. rutilus) Shansei Vole (M. shanseius) Smith's Vole (M. smithii)

Neofiber	Round-tailed Muskrat (N. alleni)

Ondatra	Muskrat (O. zibethicus)

Dinaromys	Balkan Snow Vole (D. bogdanovi)

Prometheomys	Long-clawed Mole Vole (P. schaposchnikowi)

incertae sedis

Arborimus (Tree voles)	White-footed Vole (A. albipes) Red Tree Vole (A. longicaudus) California Red Tree Mouse (A. pomo)

Phenacomys (Heather voles)	Western Heather Vole (P. intermedius) Eastern Heather Vole (P. ungava)

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Names and Taxonomy

Taxonomy

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Comments: See Musser and Carleton (in Wilson and Reeder 2005) for discussion of relationships.

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