| Eastern meadow vole | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Arvicolinae |
| Genus: | Microtus |
| Subgenus: | Pitymys |
| Species: | M. pennsylvanicus
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| Binomial name | |
| Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord, 1815)
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| Range (includes western meadow vole, Florida salt marsh vole, and beach vole) | |
The eastern meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus),[2] sometimes called the field mouse or meadow mouse, is a North American vole found in eastern Canada and the United States. Its range extends farther south along the Atlantic coast.
The western meadow vole, Florida salt marsh vole, and beach vole were formerly considered regional variants or subspecies of M. pennsylvanicus, but have all since been designated as distinct species.
The eastern meadow vole is active year-round, usually at night. It also digs burrows, where it stores food for the winter and females give birth to their young. Although these animals tend to live close together, they are aggressive towards one another. This is particularly evident in males during the breeding season. They can cause damage to fruit trees, garden plants, and commercial grain crops.
- ^ Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Microtus pennsylvanicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T13452A115114123. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T13452A22347596.en.
- ^ "Microtus pennsylvanicus". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. 1.11. American Society of Mammalogists.