Incisor and mandible anomalies in the Harting's vole Microtus hartingi (Mammalia: Arvicolinae) in Europe

We observed incisor and mandibular anomalies in two populations of Harting’s vole from Strandzha foothills and the Eastern Rhodopes. In the laboratory colony of voles originating from the Rhodope foothills, over six years, incisor pathology persisted at a constant rate of 15%. In the colony of voles from Strandzha foothills, maintained at the University of Latvia (Riga) and Zoological Institute (Saint Petersburg) from 1988 to 2000, not a single case of incisor overgrowth was observed. However, M. h. strandzensis, caught in the same biotopes in early 2000’s, were examined for abnormal growth of the maxillary incisors and mandibular deformation. The new data on changes in the ecology of Harting’s vole over the last three decades are presented.