Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 21. (Budapest 1924)
Éhik, J.: Preliminary description of a new Microtus agrestis from Hungary
XXI. ANNALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI. 1924. PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION OFA NEW MIOROTUS AGRESTIS FROM HUNGARY. By Dr. J. EHIK In the course of 1921, the Hungarian National Museimi reeeived several small Mammalians from the farm Ormand, near Komarvaros, cottnty of Zala as a present of Mr. NICHOLAS VASYARI. It was a remarkable specimen of a vole, looking very dark in alcohol, which proved to be a Microtus agrestis, when determined ; at the saine time, it was apparent, lliat it lannot he considered identical with any one of the known Microti. We know 10 subspecies of Mkrotus agrestis from Europe up to the present time, six of which have heen dcscribed on the British Isles, the original form is known from Scandinavia, one from the Spanish Peninsula, and two are living on the Continent of Europe. Among the continental subspecies we know Microtus agrestis Levernedii CBESPOK from the regions of the Alps, of the Jura Mountains andofthe river Bhone, and Microtus agrestis BaiUoni SELYS LOKGCH. from the western part of Central-Europe and from Middle Germany. Only these two subspecies can be considered by the determining ol* our species, if we consider either the diagnosis or their geographical distribution. With respect to its manners and the shape of ils brain-case, our specimen is nearer to Ihe subspeeies Lcvernedii, and as regards its size, to the subspeeies Bailloni. Although BAHRETIIAMILTON and M.A. C. HINTON are of the opinion 1 ) that the cranial characters of Microti are typical and decisivc usually only with old animals, I am obliged nevertheless to give a new subspecies name to my animal, as the braincase differs from thal of the known subspecies in eertain marks considered eharacteiistie by G. S. MILLER 2 ) especially in the case of subadult animals, that is in the length of the brain-case. And here, the brain-ease is much longer than the zygoinatie breadth of ') BARBBT-HAMILTON & M. A. C. HIXTON, On a Collection of Mammals from the Inner Hebrides. (Proc. Zool. Soo. Lond. 1913. p. 833.) „As is usual in Microtine subspecies, the subspesific cranial eharacters first become o|)vious in old agc etc." ') G. S. MILLER, Catalogue of the Mammals of Western Europe, London, 1912. p. 671. This „Form is usually distinguishable by its relatively morc elongate brain-case, a character often mox^e evident in subadult individuals, than in those of moreadvanced age".
