A Study on Taxonomic Status of Microtus subterraneus (de SelysLongchamps, 1836) and Microtus majori Thomas, 1906 (Mammalia:Rodentia) in Turkey

Authors

Ercüment ÇOLAK
Nuri YİĞİT
Mustafa SÖZEN
Şakir ÖZKURT

DOI

-

Abstract

Specimens collected from Veliköprüsü in Thrace (European Turkey), Akçaalan (Abant, Bolu), Akkus, (Ordu), and Meryemana (Trabzon), which is the type locality of M. majori, were examined according to morphological, external, cranial, bacular, phallic and karyological characters. Specimens from Thrace were included in Microtus subterraneus. Populations of M. subterraneus in Thrace karyologically differ from those in Anatolia, the former having 2n = 52 chromosomes, NFa = 56, NF =60, and the latter 2n = 54 chromosomes, NFa = 56, NF = 60. The karyotype of M. majori at its type locality contains 2n = 54 chromosomes along with NFa = 56 and NF = 60. The tail length, phallus and karyological characters distinguish M. subterraneus from M. majori.

Keywords

Microtus subterraneus, Microtus majori, Karyology, Baculum, Phallus, Turkey.

First Page

119

Last Page

130

Recommended Citation

ÇOLAK, Ercüment; YİĞİT, Nuri; SÖZEN, Mustafa; and ÖZKURT, Şakir (1998) "A Study on Taxonomic Status of Microtus subterraneus (de SelysLongchamps, 1836) and Microtus majori Thomas, 1906 (Mammalia:Rodentia) in Turkey," Turkish Journal of Zoology: Vol. 22: No. 2, Article 4. Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/vol22/iss2/4