Comparison of the Morphometric Characteristics of Four Species of the Genus Microtus Schrank, 1798 (Mammalia: Rodentia) in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey

Year 2020, Volume: 7 Issue: 3, 737 - 748, 20.07.2020

Serdar Gözütok , İrfan Albayrak

https://doi.org/10.30910/turkjans.739735

Cited By: 2

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine and compare some morphometric characteristics of Microtus species occurring in the central Anatolia region of Turkey. This study is based on 209 specimens belonging to four species of the genus Microtus collected in this region of Turkey between 2003 and 2010. Some features concerning pelage coloration, cranial characters, tooth morphotype and baculum morphology of the species were recorded to determine their taxonomic characteristics. It was determined that four species of the genus Microtus occur in the study area, including Microtus dogramacii, Microtus guentheri, Microtus hartingi and Microtus mystacinus. Microtus hartingi has been found to be widespread throughout central Anatolia. Microtus guentheri is located in the type locality and nearby provinces. M. guentheri and M. hartingi were not found to be sympatric. M. hartingi has the longest hind-foot and M. mystacinus has the longest tail. The UPGMA trees were constructed for each sex, using skull and external measurements of specimens belonging to the genus Microtus. As a result of, M. dogramacii and M. mystacinus being the most similar, M. guentheri is the sister species to these and M. hartingi is the most distinctively different.

Keywords

Microtus, Cricetidae, taxonomy, Turkey, morphometric

Project Number

Bir proje kapsamında yapılan bir çalışma değildir

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