Southwestern Water Vole

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Southern (or Southwestern) Water Vole
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae Subfamily: Arvicolinae Genus: Arvicola Species: A. sapidus[1]
Binomial name
Arvicola sapidus Miller, 1908

The Southwestern Water Vole or Southern Water Vole, Arvicola sapidus is a large amphibious vole is found in most of France and south-westwards through Spain and Portugal. Although historically considered to be a member of the same species as the Eurasian Water Vole, Musser and Carleton (2005) considered it distinct enough to warrant full species status. It is listed on the IUCN Red List as near threatened. ^[1] It is threatened for many of the same reasons as the Northern water vole, and a campaign is currently underway to seek protection for the species, both at a national level and at European Union level.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} Amori (1996). Arvicola sapidus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 23 August 2006.

• Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894-1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.