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Clethrionomys rutilus

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Northern Red-backed Vole
(Clethrionomys rutilus)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Muroidea
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Arvicolinae
Tribe:Clethrionomyini
Genus:Clethrionomys
Binomial details
Clethrionomys rutilus (Pallas, 1779)

Description

From Naughton (2012): "The coat colour of these small voles is quite variable. In general, they have a broad rufous coloured band of fur running along their back from the forehead to tail. Some of the ruddy colour washes down onto the yellowish to grey-brown sides. Belly hairs are tipped with silver, pale grey, or buff and the base of each hair is dark grey. Tops of the feet may be greyish, buff, or silver. The underside of the tail is silvery, buffy yellow, or light grey and lighter than the upper surface. The short, thick tail is covered with bristly hairs and the blunt end of the fleshy part of the tail has a long (10–12 mm) brush of dark hairs. Ears and eyes are noticeable. Two colour phases are possible (as with the Southern Red-backed Vole). The red phase is far more common than the dark phase, which has a sooty grey-black dorsal band, grey-brown sides, and a grey to silvery belly. Silky winter pelage is longer, denser, and brighter than summer pelage. Juveniles are duller and darker than adults."

External measurements

Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.

Part of range Reference Total length Tail length Hindfoot length Ear length Mass
Canada Naughton (2012) 118–166 21–44 15–22 11–17 18–35


Color variation

This section shows some of the color variation present in Clethrionomys rutilus. The location is provided for reference only. The individual shown does not necessarily represent the only color variant within the local population.

Skull

Dorsal view of the skull of Clethrionomys rutilus.
Lateral view of the skull of Clethrionomys rutilus. Long scale bar is 1 cm; short scale bar is 1 mm.
Ventral view of the skull of Clethrionomys rutilus. Long scale bar is 1 cm; short scale bar is 1 mm.

References

Naughton D. 2012. The natural history of Canadian mammals. Toronto (ON, CA): University of Toronto Press.

Pallas PS. 1779. Fasciculus II. Pp. 71–388 in Pallas, P.S. 1778-1779. Novae species quadrupedum e glirium ordine cum illustrationibus variis complurium ex hoc ordine animalium. Wolfgang Walther, Erlangen, 388 pp.

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