Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Theria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Ordo: Rodentia
Subordo: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Muroidea
Familia: Cricetidae
Subfamilia: Arvicolinae
Genus: Chionomys
Species: Chionomys nivalis
Name
Chionomys nivalis (Martins, 1842)
Type Locality: Faulhorn, Switzerland
Synonyms
* Chionomys abulensis, (Agacino, 1936)
* Chionomys aleco, Paspalev, Martino and Peshev, 1952
* Chionomys alpinus, (Wagner, 1843)
* Chionomys appenninicus, (Dal Piaz, 1929)
* Chionomys aquitanius, (Miller, 1908)
* Chionomys cedrorum, Spitzenberger, 1973
* Chionomys dementievi, (Heptner, 1939)
* Chionomys hermonis, (Miller, 1908)
* Chionomys lebruni, (Crespon, 1844)
* Chionomys leucurus, (Gerbe, 1852)
* Chionomys loginovi, (Ognev, 1950)
* Chionomys malyi, (Bolkay, 1925)
* Chionomys mirhanreini, (Schäfer, 1935)
* Chionomys nivicola, (Schinz, 1845)
* Chionomys olympius, (Neuhäuser, 1936)
* Chionomys petrophilus, (Wagner, 1853)
* Chionomys pontius, (Miller, 1908)
* Chionomys radnensis, (Ehik, 1942)
* Chionomys satunini, (Shidlovsky, 1919)
* Chionomys spitzenbergerae, Nadachowski, 1990
* Chionomys trialeticus, (Shidlovsky, 1919)
* Chionomys ulpius, (Miller, 1908)
* Chionomys wagneri, Martino, 1940
References
* Chionomys nivalis in Mammal Species of the World.
* Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2 Volume Set edited by Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder
* IUCN link: Chionomys nivalis (Martins, 1842) (Least Concern)
Vernacular names
Català: Talpó de tartera
Deutsch: Schneemaus
English: European Snow Vole or Snow Vole
Español: Topillo nival
فارسی: موش برفی
Nederlands: Sneeuwmuis
Polski: Nornik śnieżny
Slovenčina: Hraboš snežný
Slovenščina: Evropska snežna voluharica
Suomi: Lumimyyrä
The European Snow Vole or Snow Vole (Chionomys nivalis or Microtus nivalis) is a species of rodent in the Cricetidae family.
Description
This vole has dense, pale gray fur and a white tail. It can reach about 14 cm (5.5 in) long, with a tail which is 7 cm long. It weighs about 48 g.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, and Ukraine. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate grassland
Behaviour
This vole is active by night as well as by day when it is quite easy to spot, especially on sunny days. It gets food from the roots of various alpine plants. It digs tunnels with numerous exits and a nest chamber as well as a kind of a storeroom. It does not hibernate in wintertime and often takes shelter in cellars, barns or haylofts to protect itself from the low temperatures. It holds its tail in an upright position when running.
European Snow Vole's gestation period lasts three weeks, after which two to seven young are born. The female suckles them for three following weeks.
References
* Amori, G. 1996. Chionomys nivalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 09 July 2007.
* 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.
