Microtus socialis (Pallas, 1773) . Reise Prov. Russ. Reichs., 2:705.

REVIEWED BY: K. F. Koopman (KFK).

TYPE LOCALITY: U.S. S. R., Kazakh. S.S. R., probably Gur'evsk Obi., between Volga and Ural rivers .

DISTRIBUTION: Palearctic steppe from Dneper River and Crimea east to Lake Balkhash (U.S. S. R.) and N.W. Sinkiang (China) (KFK).

COMMENT: Subgenus Sumeriomys (in part, Suranomys of Chaline, 1974); see Gromov and Polyakov, 1977:281. Corbet, 1978:112, included guentheri and irani; but see Kock et al., 1972, Z. Saugetierk., 37:204-229, Morlok, 1978, Senckenberg. Biol., 59:155-162, and Gromov and Polyakov, 1977:283. Gromov and Baranova, 1981:210, considered irani a subspecies of socialis . Ognev, [1950, Mamm. U.S. S.R., Adjac. Count.], Vol. 7, Rodents, Engl. Trans., Ognev, 1964:1 -626, proposed a close relationship between socialis and Microtus (Chilotus) oregoni . See also comments under guentheri and irani .

ISIS NUMBER: 5301410008080041001.