The taxonomy of Microtus socialis group (Rodentia : Microtinae) in Turkey,with the description of a new species

Social voles from Asiatic Turkey with four different diploid numbers, assoc iated with peculiar external and skull morphologies, are here recognized as representing four distinct species. Specimens with 2n=54 are short-tailed with robust, deep skulls and represent Microtus guentheri. The tail is long est and the skull shallowest in voles where 2n=62, here considered conspeci fic with M, socialis. The identity of greyish voles with robust skulls, enl arged bullae and 2n=60 was not established, but possible relations with M. irani or M. schidlovskii are discussed. Two populations from central Anatol ia (Konya and Amasya), which are characterized by 2n=48 and variable number s of autosomal arms (NFa varying between 46 and 50), morphologically resemb le M. socialis. Despite this, their tails are much shorter and their skulls deeper, which suggest that this population represents a species that is ne w to science: Microtus dogramacii sp. n.