About Microtus mexicanus (Saussure, 1861)
The Mexican vole, with the scientific name Microtus mexicanus (Saussure, 1861), is a species of vole. The Hualapai Mexican vole (M. m. hualapaiensis) was formerly recognized as a subspecies of this species and was a protected taxon under the United States Endangered Species Act until 2017. Several other populations of the Mexican vole were previously classified as named subspecies but are no longer recognized as distinct. This species has a disjunct distribution across the southwestern United States and Mexico. It occurs in grasslands as well as other habitat types, and is generally adaptable to a range of climate types. The Mexican vole feeds mainly on grasses, and the roots of shrubs and trees (Beacham, 2000). In multiple research studies, the Mexican vole was baited with two plant products: barley and oatmeal. It has also been recorded eating monarch butterflies. The species was first described in 1861 by Swiss entomologist Henri de Saussure. Separate populations that appeared to have different physical traits were sometimes classified as named subspecies, including Microtus mexicanus mogollonensis, M. m. hualpaiensis, and M. m. navaho. Research is ongoing into the relationships between different clades within the species.
