Sibling vole species (Microtus) in the fragmented landscape of south-eastern part of Thrace, Balkan Peninsula: species presence, habitat selection and craniometry

Abstract

The presence of sibling vole species (Microtus) in the most common forests and open landscapes in south-eastern part of Thrace (Balkan Peninsula) of contemporary territories of Bulgaria and Turkey was studied. Only the southern vole (Microtus levis) was found in the investigated region. In his northern part, the Southern vole is associated with semi dry, upland habitats such as deserted and overgrown with wild vegetation vines near sparse forests and large agricultural fields under autumn crops with adjacent non-arable lands with shrub vegetation. In the southern part, it is presented in open landscape related to water areas (meadows near rivers and wetlands). On the basis of trapping the Southern vole is a common species in the north part of Strandzha region. The established craniological characteristics of the Southern vole from investigated region, which can be considered as a zoogeographical crossroads, with a late Pleistocene connection between the Balkan Peninsula and the mammalian fauna of Anatolian peninsula, enriched the knowledge about its craniological variation in Europe.

Keywords

• Microtus levis
• southern vole
• sibling vole species
• south-eastern Thrace
• biotopes adherencet
• biotopes adherence