Karyological and dental identification of Microtus limnophilus in a large focus of alveolar echinococcosis (Gansu, China)

A study of voles (Arvicolidae, Rodentia) from Gansu (China) designed to ide ntify a potential host of Echinococcus multilocularis, responsable for huma n alveolar echinococcosis, leads to a general analysis of Microtus limnophi lus population karyotypes, M-1 of M. oeconomus populations from all of Eura sia and of M. limnophilus of Mongolia. The Microtus of Gansu belonging to t he nominal subspecies M. limnophilus limnophilus (2n = 38; NF = 58) differs markedly in size and shape of M, from the M. limnophilus of Mongolia, whic h must therefore be considered as a new subspecies M. limnophilus malygini nov. ssp. (2n = 38; NF = 60) and the M. oeconomus of Mongol ia should be ra nked as M. oeconomus kharanurensis nov. ssp, (2n = 30; NF = 60). (C) Academ ie des Sciences / Elsevier, Paris.