Arvicola

Water voles are large voles in the genus Arvicola. They are found in both aquatic and dry habitat through Europe and much of northern Asia. A water vole found in Western North America was historically considered a member of this genus, but has been shown to be more closely related to members of the genus Microtus.^[1][2] Head and body lengths are 12–22 cm (4.7–8.7 in), tail lengths are 6.5–12.5 cm (2.6–4.9 in), and their weights are 70–250 g (2.5–8.8 oz). The animals may exhibit indeterminate growth. They are thick-furred and have hairy fringes on their feet that improve their swimming ability.

Water voles Temporal range: Early Pleistocene - Recent
Arvicola amphibius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Arvicolinae
Tribe:	Arvicolini
Genus:	Arvicola Lacépède, 1799
Type species
Mus amphibius Linnaeus, 1758
Species
See text

A 2021 phylogenetic study using mtDNA found that Arvicola may not belong with the rest of its namesake tribe Arvicolini, but rather forms a sister group to the tribe Lagurini.^[3]

Species

There are three species as listed by the IUCN:

• European (or northern) water vole (A. amphibius or A. terrestris)^[4]
• Southwestern (or southern) water vole (A. sapidus)^[5]
• Montane water vole (A. scherman)^[6]

The American Society of Mammalogists recognizes four species, with A. italicus and A. persicus being split from A. amphibius, and A. scherman being synonymous with A. amphibius:^[7]

• Eurasian water vole (A. amphibius)
• Italian water vole (A. italicus)
• Persian water vole (A. persicus)
• Southwestern water vole (A. sapidus)