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The genus Giardia includes several species distinguished by morphological, biological and molecular features. Currently, eight species within the genus are retained as valid. In Italy no identification of Giardia species other than Giardia duodenalis has been so far reported. Fecal samples were collected from two Gunther's Voles (Microtus guentheri) positive to Giardia cysts by microscopic investigation and immunofluorescence. The voles were born in Milan (Northern Italy) from two gravid females imported from the Netherlands and kept for sale in a pet shop in Varese (Northern Italy). Positive feces were subjected to a nested PCR to amplify a 18S rRNA fragment for molecular characterization. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted to compare the obtained sequence with those of all other Giardia species available in GenBank for the 18S locus, using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) method by R software. Sequence analyses unambiguously identified the isolates as belonging to G. microti, showing 99% of identity with those of its isolates available in GenBank. A well-defined cluster, supported by significant bootstrap values and corresponding to the G. microti cluster, including sequences obtained from M. guentheri, was evidenced in the ML tree, confirming species assignment. The present finding represents the first report of G. microti from pet animals in Italy.

Heavy metal contamination is a serious environmental problem commonly monitored in various organisms. Small wild rodents are ideal biological monitors to show the extent of environmental pollution.The aim of this study was to evaluate the adverse effects of marble and stone quarries on the Levant vole,Microtus guentheri, inhabiting some polluted sites. In this context, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to analyze distribution of thirteen heavy metals (Fe, Al, Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn,Ni, B, Pb, As, Co, Cd, and Hg) in the organs (skins, bones, muscles, livers and kidneys) of the biological specimens, and the comet assay revealed DNA damage in blood lymphocytes for the first time. This study was conducted at close to the marble and stone quarries at Korkuteli, Antalya-Turkey during spring,summer, autumn (2017) and winter (2018) seasons. In spring and summer, genetic damage in blood lymphocytes from all polluted sites (sites 1e5) was significantly higher than that of controls, while in autumn it was higher in samples from three sites (sites 3e5). In terms of heavy metal distribution in organs, we found depositions of Fe, Al, Zn, Ni, Mn, Cr, Co, As and Pb primarily in the skin with its derivatives, Cu and Cd deposits in the kidney, Cu, Cd and B deposits in the liver, and As and Pb depositions in the bones. The study shows that certain organs (especially skin with its derivatives) and blood lymphocytes of Levant vole can be used as ideal indicators of heavy metal pollution. Our results suggest that the Korkuteli area could already be under the threat of heavy metal pollution. This work was supported by The Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Akdeniz University. Project Number: FDK- 2016-1421.We special thanks to Dr. Levent Sarıkçıoglu for this support to use Fluorescence microscope in this study.

Speciation and the phylogenetic relationships of species in the Guentheri Group in Turkey, which have a diploid chromosome number of 54, were studied using mitochondrial mt-co1, mt-cyb and 12S rRNA gene markers. A Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) tree clearly separated the Thrace and western and southeastern Anatolia populations. Genetic distance values (d) appeared relatively high in the southeastern Anatolia population (Microtus guentheri) from other populations, but rather low distance values were found between Thrace and western Anatolia populations. Our findings support the earlier classification of M. guentheri as a different species that previously split from the basal population of western Anatolia. However, Kimura two-parameter (K2P) values greater than 10% are generally accepted for specification, and they were lower than this in all groups. So, the genetic distances of the Turkish Thrace and western Anatolia populations do not support the suggestion that the western Anatolia population is a separate species. But this value is sometimes very low in newly evolved and approximate species. Thus, the populations of Turkish Thrace and western Anatolia are tentatively referred to Microtus hartingi due to the geographical separation of the Dardanelle and Bosphorus Straits for fossorial and surface-dwelling species even in the glacial connections.

Conventionally stainedand C- banded karyotypes of Guenther’s vole (Microtus guentheri), Major's pine vole (Microtus majori) and Common vole (Microtus arvalis) were studied from Turkey. Diploid chromosome numbers of M.guentheri, M. arvalis and M. majori were found as 2n=54 andNFa=52, 2n=46 and NFa=68 and 2n=54 and NFa=56, respectively. All chromosomes of M. guentheri werepericentromeric C- band. In Microtusarvalis (obscurus cytotype) and Microtusmajori karyotypes,autosomal chromosomes were heterochromatin C band positive and negative band. In M. arvalis (obscurus cytotype), sexchromosome was C band negative. In this study, heterozygote chromosome was not foundin the obtained autosomal chromosome set of M.arvalis. M. majori has enlarged heterochromatin block fromcentromere to telomere on the long arm of X chromosome. Y chromosome wascompletely heterochromatin., Bu çalışmada, Güentheri tarla faresi (Microtus guentheri), Kısa kulaklı kır faresi (Microtus majori) ve Yaygın tarla faresi (Microtus arvalis) türlerinin standart karyotipleri ve kromozomlarınC-bant özellikleri belirlendi. M.guentheri türünün diploid kromozom sayısı (2n) = 54 ve otozomalkromozomların kol sayısı (NFa) = 52, M.arvalis (obscurus sitotip)türünün 2n = 46 ve NFa = 68, M.majoritürünün 2n = 54 ve NFa = 56 şeklindedir. M.guentheri otozomal ve eşey kromozomlarda pericentromerik C-bant olduğubelirlendi. Microtus arvalis (obscurus sitotip) ve Microtus majori karyotiplerinde otozomalkromozomlar C bant pozitif ve negatif şeklindedir. M. arvalis türünde X ve Y kromozomu C bant negatif özelliktedir. M. majori karyotipinde X kromozomununuzun kolunda sentromerden telomere doğru genişlemiş heterokromatin blokbulunmaktadır. Y kromozomu ise tamamen heterokromatindir.

Two new species and a new subspecies of fleas belonging to the genus Ctenophthalmus Kolenati (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae) were described from Turkey. Ctenophthalmus (Spalacoctenophthalmus) beyzanurae n. sp. was collected from Nannospalax leucodon Nordmann (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Tekirdağ province while Ctenophthalmus (Euctenophthalmus) kefelioglui n. sp. and Ctenophthalmus (Euctenophthalmus) teres anatolicus n. ssp. were collected from Microtus guentheri (Danford & Alston) and Apodemus uralensis (Pallas) (Mammalia: Rodentia) in the Aksaray and Kars provinces of Turkey, respectively. Detailed illustrations of new taxa described were also provided.

Šī darba mērķis ir galvas smadzeņu diverģences izpēte pēc to lieluma un ģeometriskās formas trim strupastu “guentheri” grupas taksoniem ar lineārās un ģeometriskās morfometrijas metožu izmantošanu. Iegūtie dati rāda, ka dzimuma faktors neietekmē izpētīto taksonu smadzeņu lineāros parametrus un formu, kas liecina par dzimuma atlases vāju iedarbību uz morfoloģisko pielāgojumu veidošanos un smadzeņu uzbūves mainību. Tiek atrastas būtiskas atšķirības strupastu galvas smadzeņu absolūtā un relatīvā masā (cefalizācijas indekss): vismazākā tā tiek atzīmēta M. guentheri, lielāka M. hartingi, bet savā starpā M. h. hartingi un M. h. lydius populācijas ievērojami diverģē. Visi lineārie mērījumi trim taksoniem arī būtiski atšķiras. M. hartingi pasugas atšķiras ar smadzeņu augstumu, bet suga M. guentheri no M. hartingi atšķiras gan ar augstumu, gan ar platumu un garumu. Visgarākais pusložu laterālais garums ir konstatēs M. h. lydius, tālāk pēc dilstošas secības iet M. h. hartingi un M. guentheri. Iegūtie dati norāda uz to, ka M. guentheri diverģence ir dziļāka (16 parametri), kas acīmredzot saistīts ar šīs sugas senāku izolāciju ar kalnu grēdu "Anatolijas diagonāli". M. hartingi populāciju izolācija notika vēlāk ar Bosfora jūras šaurumu, tāpēc atšķirību smadzeņu uzbūvē ir nedaudz mazāk (11 parametri), Galvas smadzeņu ģeometriskas deformācijas tiek konstatētas visos taksonos. Kanonisko variāciju analīze parādīja, ka visi trīs taksoni būtiski atšķiras cits no cita, gan pēc laterālā skata, gan pēc dorsālā. Salīdzinot taksonu DFA laterālo skatu noteikts, ka M. h. hartingi puslodes un smadzenītes ir paplašinātas no augšas, bet M. h. lydius ir mazas ožas sīpoli. Pēc dorsālskata DFA M. h. hartingi ir nedaudz garākas ožas sīpoli, nekā M. h. lydius. M. guentheri smadzenīšu puslode un tārps ir platāki nekā M. hartingi pasugam., The purpose of this work is to investigate the divergence of the brain by its size and geometric shape of three vole's taxa of "guentheri" group with linear and geometric morphometric. The obtained data show that the sex as a factor does not affect the linear parameters and brain's shape of the studied taxa, which indicates a weak effect of the sex on morphological adaptation and variability of the brain structure in the selection process. Significant differences in the absolute and relative mass of the brain (cephalization indeces) are found: the smallest one for M. guentheri is noted, greater for M. hartingi. The indeces of the M. hartingi and M. h. lydius populations are noticeably diverged. The linear measurements of the investigated taxa also differ significantly. The subspecies M. hartingi differ in the brain height as well as M. guentheri and M. hartingi species differs in height, width and length of the brain. The lateral length of the hemisphere in M. h. lydius is longest, followed by M. h. hartingi and in the M. guentheri the length is smallest. The obtained data indicate that the divergence of M. guentheri is deeper (16 parameters), which is obviously related to the older isolation of this species by the mountain range "Anatolian diagonal". The isolation of the M. hartingi population occurred later by the Bosporus Strait, so the difference in brain structure is slightly less (11 parameters). Geometric deformities of the brain in all taxa are found. Analysis of canonical variations showed that all three taxa differ significantly, both laterally and dorsally. Comparing the taxa DFA lateral view are found differences in brain form, M. h. harting cerebellum hemisphere and brains hemisphere are expanded from above, while M. h. lydius have a small olfactory bulbs. By dorsal view DFA M. h. harting have a slightly longer olfactory bulbs than M. h. lydius. M. guentheri cerebellum hemisphere and worm are wider than the M. hartingi.

Middle Pleistocene Qesem Cave, Israel, contains one of the richest known deposits of microvertebrate remains in the Near East, nearly a quarter of a million specimens. The remains have been excavated from two main concentrations, and over 16,000 have been identified to genus level. The faunal content of the two concentrations is broadly similar, and only a few taxa are restricted to the one or the other; most notably, the Myomimus judaicus/setzeri group and Rattus cf. haasi are only known from the chronologically older Concentration 2. The identification of Stellagama stellio is presented as an example of tree-thinking in the Quaternary; a phylogenetic tree is an epistemic structure that provides a non-arbitrary means to determine the minimum number and phylogenetic position of extant comparative specimens required to identify an extinct population. The new mammal data show that the total proportion of lower vertebrates in the microfauna is lower than previously thought, although Chamaeleo chamaeleon remains by far the second most-abundant prey species. The assemblages from the two concentrations are significantly different from each other in terms of relative abundances: lower vertebrates, shrews, and bats are less abundant in the Concentration 2, and several rodents, most notably Microtus guentheri, are more abundant there. However, rank-order abundance between the two assemblages is strongly correlated, suggesting that the surrounding community was largely stable. The taphonomic data obtained so far suggest a Barn Owl as the predominant accumulator in Concentration 1, although natural history observations on Barn Owls and chameleons are strongly at odds with this actualistic inference. We suggest that this represents an example of non-analog behavior in the extinct Barn Owl population. Barn Owls, in turn, are sensitive to disturbance and unlikely to have occupied the cave at precisely the same time as the hominins. These observations suggest new ways to study human occupation patterns and behavioral adaptation.

The purpose of this study was to use Microtus guentheri to monitor gamma radioactivity levels in the Mersin region of southern Mediterranean Turkey, where the nation's first nuclear power plant will be built. Prior to our study there was no information available on the radioactivity levels of living organisms in this region. Concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were determined by gamma spectrometry using a high-purity germanium detector and our results were compared with the associated dose rates in the world. The average value of gamma dose rates obtained in this study (7.59 nGy h-1) was in the range of 3.61-20.12 nGy h-1, which is within the global range of values for soil (10-200 nGy h-1). The calculated annual effective dose equivalent with an average value of 9.30 mSv and the radium equivalent activity index with an average value of 15.13 Bq/kg were lower than the worldwide averages for soil of 460 mSv and 370 Bq/kg, respectively. The annual gonadal equivalent dose and excess lifetime cancer risk averaged 386.74 µS/y and 0.93, respectively. There was a strong positive correlation between increasing altitude and 40K activity (r = 0.996, P < 0.0001). The data presented in this study are baseline data that will be useful in monitoring for fugitive radiation associated with the nuclear power plant planned for the Mersin region.

This paper describes the micromammalian remains and paleoenvironment of the Upper Paleolithic sequence of Manot Cave (46-34 ka), southern Levant. Micromammal remains were identified from Ahmarian (46-42 ka), Levantine Aurignacian (38-34 ka) and post-Levantine Aurignacian (34-33 ka) layers. To identify taphonomic agents, molar digestion was modelled for seven local raptor species, and model predictions were compared with observed digestion scores in the Manot Cave material. Raptor species differed significantly in molar digestion patterns, allowing us to identify Tyto alba as the bone accumulator in the Ahmarian and Post-Levantine Aurignacian units. Data were insufficient for species-level identification of the taphonomic agent in the Levantine Aurignacian. Gunther's voles (Microtus guentheri) were dominant, though woodland species (Apodemus spp., Sciurus anomalus and Dryomys nitedula) also occurred through the entire sequence. Manot Cave furnished the first fossil record of the Eurasian snow vole (Chionomys nivalis) in the southern Levant during the Late Pleistocene and its first secure record of the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) outside the Hula Valley. Records of other taxa (Acomys dimidiatus and D. nitedula) provide the earliest occurrence datum in the region. Using counts of both identified specimens and distinct elements (lower first molars) we modelled paleoenvironmental conditions through both Weighted Averaging Partial Least Squares regression and a qualitative analysis considering niche preferences of species. Model predictions indicate the unexpectedly pronounced dominance of open habitats compared to present conditions near the cave, though the occurrence and abundance of woodland species also indicate some woodland expansion relative to the preceding Middle Paleolithic period. Combining statistical models and species niche considerations we show that the time span between the Ahmarian, Levantine Aurignacian and post-Levantine Aurignacian was marked by a clear-cut climatic oscillation to cooler and likely wetter conditions.

Microtus guentheri (Danford & Alston, 1880) Common name: Levant vole. Diagnosis: Fur color of dorsum reddish brown, grayish ventrally, weak line of demarcation. Ears and tail are very short (Figure 21). Hind feet with five tubercles on soles. Soles of hind feet densely haired posteriorly. Tail less than one third of head body length. Four pairs of mammae. Third upper molar with three re-entering folds (Figure 22). Localities: Previous records. ‘Ibb&imacr;n (Amr & Disi, 1988); A&scedil; &Scedil;ar&imacr;ḩ (Rifai et al., 1998). Materials extracted from owl pellets. Marj Al Hammam (Obuch per. com.), ‘ Amm&amacr;n National park (Obuch per. com.), W&amacr;d&imacr; Zarq&amacr; Ma’in (Pokines per. com.). New records. Ajl&umacr;n Forest Reserve (Figure 23). Habitat: The Levant vole is restricted to the Mediterranean biome. Some colonies were found in the transitional areas between Irbid and Al Mafraq. This is a colonial species where colonies may exceed 40 burrow systems per 1000 m 2. It shares burrows with the gray hamster (Cricetulus migratorius) and Tristram’s jird (Meriones tristrami). The barn owl (Tyto alba) feeds readily on the Levant vole (Dor, 1947; Rifai et al., 1998). Biology: Voles have enormous reproductive abilities. Gestation period lasts for 21 days, and females give birth to up to 10 new born. Each generation may produce 6 to 7 litters per year (Personal observations). Its populations may increase suddenly inflicting severe damage to crops. In 1992, northern Jordan was plagued with a population explosion of the Levant Vole. This was manifested in severe damage of wheat fields, all summer crops (squash, watermelon, etc.) and destruction of stems of newly planted fruit trees. In the following year, the populations of this vole ceased and are now under control. The ecology and biology of Microtus guentheri were studied in Turkey (Çolak et al., 1998). Burrows were abundant at the edges of fields, burrow systems were shallow with severalopenings with no food chambers. In captivity, females produced seven litters with an average litter size of 5.5 between September and June (Çolak et al., 1998). Remarks: Harrison & Bates (1991) continued to unite guentheri with M. socialis. Morphological and geographic definition of the species has been unclear due partly to substantial geographic variation and partly to its confusion with M. irani (Kock & Nader, 1983).Karyotype for this species from Turkey was found to be 2n=54, NFa=68 and NF: 70. The autosomes consist of 52 acrocentric and 2 metacentric pairs of chromosomes (Çolak et al., 1997)., Published as part of Amr, Zuhair S., Abu, Mohammad A., Qumsiyeh, Mazin & Eid, Ehab, 2018, Systematics, distribution and ecological analysis of rodents in Jordan, pp. 1-94 in Zootaxa 4397 (1) on pages 21-22, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4397.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1202783, {"references":["Amr, Z. S. & Disi, A. M. (1988) Jordanian Mammals Acquired by the Jordan University Natural History Museum. Publication of the University of Jordan, Amman, 32 pp."]}

Distributional and ecological data were given to all rodents of Jordan. The rodent fauna of Jordan consists of 28 species with 20 genera in eight families (Cricetidae, Dipodidae, Gliridae, Hystricidae, Muridae, Myocastoridae, Sciuridae,and Spalacidae), including four introduced species.Keys for families and species were provided, along with diagnosis for each species and cranial illustrations for most species. Habitat preference and zoogeographic affinities of rodents in Jordan wereanalyzed, as well as their status and conservation.Threat categories and causes of threats on the rodents of Jordan were also analyzed. The distribution of rodents in Jordan represents a reflection of their global distribution ranges and habitat preferences. Species associated with the temperate forest of northern Jordan includes Sciurus anomalus and two wood mice, Apodemus mystacinus and A. flavicollis, while non-forested areas are represented by Nannospalax ehrenbergi and Microtus guentheri. Strict sand dwellers include Gerbillus cheesmani and G. gerbillus. Petrophiles associated with sandstone or black lava deserts are exemplified by Acomys russatus, A. r. lewsi, H. indica and S. calurus. Others including: Jaculus jaculus, G. nanus, G. henleyi, Meriones crassus, and M. libycus are all desert-adapted species with wider ranges of distribution where scarce vegetation, wadibeds, and marabs with clay, loess, or gravel surfaces provide foraging grounds and shelter. A single species, Gerbillus dasyurus, exhibits a wide range of distribution over diverse habitat types. The rodent fauna of Jordan consists of assemblages of different zoogeographical affinities. Nine, three, and seven were restricted or had most of its range within the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, and Saharo Arabian, respectively. Sciurus anomalus, Apodemus sp., Nannospalax ehrenbergi, and Microtus guentheri reached their most southern range of distribution in the Mediterranean regions of Jordan. The distribution of Gerbillus cheesmani extends from Asian deserts in India westwards into the Arabian Peninsula crossing Jordan as its most western range of distribution. Typical rodents of Saharo-Arabian affinities are represented by desert jerboas, gerbils, and jirds. North African species such as G. andersoni, G. gerbillus reached their most eastern distribution in southern Jordan. Both G. henleyi and G. nanus are widely-distributed species across North Africa reaching as far as India to the east, representing most northern outpost for these two species. Sekeetamys calurus is a nearly endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean region within southern Jordan and Sinai. Relicts are represented by Eliomys melanurus and Acomys russatus lewisi. Several threats affecting the rodent biodiversity in Jordan were identified including habitat loss and degradation, human disturbance and related activity, legislative and public awareness. The global conservation status of the rodents of Jordan according to the IUCN Red List include 22 species as least concern, one as near threatened (Allactaga euphratica), and one as data deficient (Nannospalax ehrenbergi). According to the regional assessment, one species is critically endangered, three species are considered endangered, one vulnerable.

The site of Wadi Zarqa Maʿin 1 (WZM-1), in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was test excavated beneath a large fissure that is a frequent roost for barn owls (Tyto alba). The site is located approximately 730 m above mean sea level, and 10 km south-southwest of Madaba, Jordan. This large limestone sinkhole is a natural faunal trap and roosting site for multiple species of raptor, accumulating significant faunal remains from their prey within its deposits. The mammalian taxa Suncus etruscus, Crocidura suaveolens, Spalax leucodon, Cricetulus migratorius, Gerbillus dasyurus, Meriones tristrami, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Acomys cahirinus, Allactaga euphratica, Microtus guentheri, Otonycteris hemprichii, and Hemiechinus auritus were identified, with a total MNI of n = 1,713 from a maxilla and mandible NISP of n = 5,465. Mollusk, bird, reptile, amphibian, and scorpion remains were also collected and are under analysis. This site was investigated as part of a larger regional palaeoecological project. WZM-...

168. Levant Vole Microtus guentheri French: Campagnol de Gunther / German: Levante-Wihlmaus / Spanish: Topillo de Guenther Other common names: Guenther's Vole, Glnther's Vole Taxonomy. Arvicola guentheri Danford & Alston, 1880, “marshes below Marash [= city of Kahramanmaras],” Kahramanmaras Province, Turkey. Microtus guentheri is in subgenus Sumeriomys and guenther: species group. In the past, guentheri contained hartingi and mustersi philistinus was occasionally treated as a full species but is regarded here as a synonym of guentheri. Subspecific taxonomy is not resolved. Monotypic. Distribution. SE Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and NWJordan. Descriptive notes. Head-body 109-130 mm,tail 23-32 mm; weight 26-47 g. Females are on average 2-3 g lighter than males. The Levant Vole is large and chunky, with short tail ¢.20% of head—body length, long ears, and large eyes. Females have two pairs of pectoral and two pairs of inguinal mammae. There are five plantar pads. Fur is soft, dorsally gray-buff to light fawn and grizzled by blackish tips of long hair. Belly is grayish white, and demarcation along flanks is faint. Tail is indistinctly bicolored. Skull is robust, moderately deep, with swollen bullae and wide interorbital constriction. Incisors are orthodont. M' and M* frequently have postero-lingual loop. M? has 4-5 inner and 3-5 outer salient angles. M is of standard shape for social voles, with 4-5 inner reentrant angles. Habitat. Meadows with sparse vegetation on drained slopes, particularly those sheltered by scattered trees and bushes, from lowlands up to elevations of at least 1700 m. Levant Voles also occupy cultivated terraces planted with alfalfa and corn and orchards. Heavy alluvial soils with water-binding capacity and low temperature are preferred. Food and Feeding. Levant Voles preferred green herbs, grains, cereals, and tubers. Food, mainly seeds and grains, is cached, and stores contain 250-1500 g of food. Breeding. Breeding season of the Levant Vole occurs in November—April when weather conditions are suitable and green vegetation is plentiful. No pregnant females were trapped in Israel in June-October. Minimum reproductive age was 36 days (60 days in captivity) for females and 30 days (90 days in captivity) for males. Formation of pairsis a precondition for the start of breeding. Gestation is 21 days. Mean number of embryos is 8-8/female, and litters under laboratory conditions had 1-10 young (mean 6-1). Due to postpartum estrus, interval between successive litters can be as short as 21 days, and in a laboratory colony, 41% of births occurred 21-25 days after previous parturition. Reproductive potential is estimated at c.60 young/female/breeding season. Altricial young are born naked and blind and have closed ears. Mean weights are 2:6-2-9 g and depends on littersize. Males are born 27% heavier than females. Dorsal hair starts growing four days after birth. Eyes and ears open at c.10 days old. Young start eating solid food at c.10 days old and are weaned at 20 days old. Lactation lasts 15-21 days. Activity patterns. Levant Voles are active year-round and at any time of the day. Daily activity ceases at temperatures above 25°C, so they are crepuscular and nocturnal in summer. They had three peaks of activity under laboratory conditions: morning, midday, and evening. Levant Voles excavate extensive burrows. Tunnels are shallow (10-20 cm below ground’s surface) in winter but can descend as deep as 60 cm. Even during hot summer days, temperatures inside burrows never exceed 20-24°C. Tunnels lead to a breeding chamber with spherical nest woven of dry plants and to 1-2 storing chambers. Old nests are repaired or built anew for each litter. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Levant Voles do not move widely. In Israel, 73% were caught within 10 m of distance. Levant Voleslive in family groups of a breeding pair and 5-12 young. Communal nests are exceptional, and largest recorded contained six males, eight females, and 68 young from at least two generations. Breeding in communal nests is common in captivity. Family burrow system covers 3-20 m? and up to 90 m*® in the case of large family groups. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. At the time of this classification, the Levant Vole still contained Harting’s Vole (M. hartingi) and the Cyrenaica Vole (M. mustersi), now regarded as distinct species. The Levant Vole is common with no major conservation threats. It thrives in various habitat types, natural and man-made, and is even an agricultural pest. Bibliography. Bodenheimer (1949), Cohen-Shlagman, Hellwing & Yom-Tov (1984), Cohen-Shlagman, Yom-Tov & Hellwing (1984), Krystufek & Vohralik (2005), Krystufek, Buzan et al. (2009), Yigit & Colak (2002), Zima et al. (2013)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 348, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

We studied 1140 bp cytochrome b sequences of social voles from three localities in Lebanon. The results were compared with published sequences representing seven species of social voles. New sequences from Lebanon clustered with reference samples of two species: M. guentheri and M. irani. While M. guentheri was already reported for Lebanon, M. irani is a new addition to the fauna of Lebanon, and the third known record for the species. Animals were collected in two localities above Tripolis at 855 m and 1430 m a.s.l., respectively.

In a one-year study on the diet of the Long-eared Owl, Asio otus, in the area of Karapinar in Central Anatolia, 5324 prey items were recovered from 3314 pellets collected at monthly intervals. At least 7 species of mammals belonging to Insectivora (Crocidura suaveolens) and Rodentia (Allactaga williamsi, Cricetulus migratorius, Meriones tristrami, Mescocricetus brandti, Microtus guentheri, M. sp., Mus macedonicus) were identified. Rodentia were dominant and contributed 93.8% of the number of prey items of the Long-eared Owl. Microtus guentheri accounted for 83.9% of the rodent remains. The diet pattern was more diverse in summer, when some 24% of the diet consisted of non-mammal prey items (birds, insects).

The study reports on chromosomes in several populations of social voles from south-eastern Europe and the Middle East. The standard karyotypes of individuals of Microtus hartingi and Microtus guentheri originating from both south-eastern Europe and Asia Minor comprised 54 mostly acrocentric chromosomes. However, variation between populations was found in the amount and distribution of C-heterochromatin in certain autosomes and the sex chromosomes. Furthermore, a specific pattern of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region distribution was recorded in different geographic populations. In a population from Asia Minor, a heterozygous centric fusion of two autosomes was found. The G-banded karyotypes of M. guentheri and Microtus socialis were compared, and tandem fusions of autosomes were suggested as possible mechanism of the divergence. The karyotypes of the nine currently recognized species of social voles are reviewed, and implications of chromosomal data for systematics are evaluated.

Preliminary results of the investigation of the microfauna at the Acheulo-Yabrudian Middle Pleistocene site of Qesem Cave, Israel, are presented. Thus far the assemblage includes ca. 10,000 bone and tooth fragments, of which 50% could be identified to the generic and some hundreds to the species level. Based on the current material, the fauna includes the following squamate reptiles: Laudakia sp., Chamaeleo sp., Gekkonidae indet., Lacertidae indet., Scincidae indet., Pseudopus sp., Varanus sp., Colubroidea indet. (at least three species) and micromammals: Suncus etruscus, Crocidura cf. leucodon, Crocidurinae indet. (large form), Chiroptera indet., Sciurus cf. anomalus, Cricetulus cf. migratorius, Microtus guentheri, Nannospalax ehrenbergi, Dipodillus cf. dasyurus, Meriones cf. tristrami, Gerbillidae indet., Mus cf. musculus, Apodemus cf. flavicollis. These results suggest that the fauna includes only taxa that occur recently in the territory of Israel. The ecological preferences of the nearest living relatives of the recorded taxa allow us to infer a paleoenvironment with a mosaic of open and woodland habitats. However, comparing the lower with the upper levels of the microfauna-bearing profile, a slight shift towards more wooded conditions might be detectable. Biostratigraphical inferences from the recorded micromammal taxa cover a rather wide age range, whereas the radiometric (U-series and preliminary TL) dating enable a provisionally estimated date for the microfauna-bearing levels at 360-300 ka. Detailed morphometric comparisons with material from other sites in the region are necessary and may yet provide further insights.

The effect of landscape structure on distribution of the Gunthers vole in typical and mostly widespread habitats in the region of Strandja Mountain was studied. In the studied region, which represents the most northeastern part of the range of voles of guentheri group in Europe, general trends in distribution and biotopic adherence of M. g. strandzensisin have been outlined. The established distribution of Microtus guentheri in the studied biotopes revealed the presence of Gunther's vole only in wet habitats with hydrophilic vegetation. The established relative numbers of the Gunther's vole in natural and semi-natural habitats and agricultural areas under autumn crops determined this species as rare in Strandja region, while in the preferred habitat in natural wet zones along Veleka River it was presented as common species. It was recommended to carry out regular examinations of M. g. strandzensis in the region, focused particularly in clover and wheat fields and their neighbouring roadsides; spec...

We established a cytochrome b (cyt b) phylogeny for six species of social voles. A Bayesian approach to phylogenetic reconstruction (BI) and a maximum likelihood (ML) tree revealed a dichotomy into two major clusters, namely a Microtus guentheri cluster and a M. socialis cluster. The three main lineages that emerged within each of these two clusters were separated by the K2P divergences which are above the intraspecific variation in Microtus. All six species were also retrieved in the minimum spanning network. Within its present taxonomic scope, M. guentheri is paraphyletic and consists of two allopatric sibling species: M. guentheri (Syria, Israel) and M. hartingi (Anatolia and the Balkans). The closest relative to these two species is M. dogramacii, which is possibly a sister species to M. hartingi. The two geographic samples were identified as M. irani, one from Shiraz (Iran) and the other from Balkusan (Turkey). The cyt b sequence confirmed the specific status of M. anatolicus within the M. socialis cluster. Although five species of social voles occur within a radius of

The composition of the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) diet analysed from pellets collected in several regions of the Eastern Mediterranean is presented. In total, 27 samples from 21 sites in S Italy, S Greece (incl. Crete), S Turkey, NW Syria, SW Lebanon, N Israel, and N Egypt were composed of 8842 prey individuals. Mammals represented the dominant part of the prey (90% of the identified prey individuals, comprising 44 species). Birds were less abundant (7%), however, their diversity was enormous (64 species). Amphibians and reptiles were rarely represented in the diet (0.9%), while invertebrates we found more often (2.2%). The relative abundance of particular prey items in the Barn Owl diet was analysed in four geographical regions: (a) SE Europe (Calabria, Peloponnese, Crete), (b) Levantine parts of Turkey and Syria, (c) Lebanon and N Israel, and (d) N Egypt. In complex evaluation of the sample set, endemic forms composed a special group of prey items: Microtus savii, Sorex samniticus, and Talpa romana in Calabria; Microtus thomasi in Peloponnese; Acomys minous in Crete; and Gerbillus amoenus in Egypt. Another group of prey is represented by typical Levantine species: Microtus guentheri, Meriones tristrami, Apodemus mystacinus, and Rana ridibunda. Apodemus flavicollis and Crocidura leucodon were more abundant in Calabria while less abundant in the Levant. Synanthropic mammals (Mus spp., Rattus rattus, Suncus etruscus, Crocidura suaveolens) and birds (Passer domesticus) represented a significant part of the diet in the majority of the studied area. Abstrakt: Studovali sme zloženie potravy plamienky driemavej (Tyto alba) z vývržkov nazbieraných v siedmich krajinach východneho Stredozemia. Celkom 27 vzoriek z 21 lokalit v južnom Taliansku, južnom Grecku (vratane Krety), južnom Turecku, severovýchodnej Sýrii, juhozapadnom Libanone, severnom Izraeli a severnom Egypte sa skladali z 8842 jedincov koristi. Cicavce predstavovali dominantnu zložku potravy (90 % urcených jedincov koristi, predstavujucich 44 druhov). Vtaky boli menej pocetne (7 %), avsak ich diverzita bola vysoka (64 druhov). Obojživelniky a plazy boli nachadzane vzacne (0,9 %), no bezstavovce boli castejsie (2,2 %). Relativna abundacia zložiek koristi plamienky bola analyzovana v styroch zemepisných regionoch: (a) juhovýchodna Europa (Kalabria, Peloponez, Kreta), (b) Levantske casti Turecka a Sýrie, (c) Libanon a severný Izrael a (d) severný Egypt. V celkovom vyhodnoteni vsetkých vzoriek tvorili specialnu skupinu koristi endemicke formy: v Kalabrii Microtus savii, Sorex samniticus a Talpa romana, na Pleoponeze Microtus thomasi, na Krete Acomys minous a v Egypte Gerbillus amoenus. Ďalsia skupina koristi bola predstavovana typickou levantskou faunou: Microtus guentheri, Meriones tristrami, Apodemus mystacinus a Rana ridibunda. Apodemus flavicollis a Crocidura leucodon boli hojne nachadzane v Kalabrii no menej v Levante. Synantropicke cicavce (Mus spp., Rattus rattus, Suncus etruscus, Crocidura suaveolens) a vtaky (Passer domesticus) predstavovali významnu zložku potravy plamienky takmer v celom studovanom uzemi.

Sex chromosome polymorphism in Bulgarian populations of Guenther's vole (Microtus guentheri Danford & Alston, 1880) has been described. All studied individuals of Guenther's vole have the diploid chromosome number 2n = 54 (FNa = 52). The autosomes are acrocentric. All autosomes in the karyotype have constitutive heterochromatin, located in the centromeric region. In three autosomal pairs distal heterochromatin has been described. The sex chromosomes exhibit interpopulation variation in morphology and heterochromatin patterns. In most studied individuals, the X chromosomes are submetacentric, but there are individuals with acrocentric X chromosomes. The Y chromosome is completely heterochromatic. The acrocentric X chromosomes have a large centromeric heterochromatic block, which probably originated as a result of random amplification of sequences as have been proposed in other species of the genus Microtus.

Cholecalciferol whole-wheat bait was tested in no-choice laboratory experiments as a rodenticide for the field rodent species Microtus guentheri (Danford & Alston) and Meriones tristrami Thomas. The LD 50 was 40.86 and 32.17 mg a.i. kg −1 body weight for M. guentheri and M. tristrami , respectively. The acceptance was 50.7–100% in M. guentheri , and 46.2–100% in M. tristrami. Reduction in the a.i. concentration from 0.25% to 0.125% did not improve the acceptance. The results confirmed that calciferol whole-wheat bait is not suitable for the control of these two field rodent species.