Evolutionary history of the Altai grey vole, <i>Microtus obscurus</i> (Rodentia: Cricetidae), reconstructed using modern and ancient genomes
Journal: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
Year: 2025

Abstract The Altai grey vole (Microtus obscurus) is a rodent species present in Western Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Near East. The taxonomic relationship of M. obscurus and its sister-species, Microtus arvalis, is a matter of ongoing debate and there is a lack of agreement regarding the date of their divergence. To further understand the evolutionary history of M. obscurus, we generated nuclear and mitochondrial data from five modern and 11 ancient specimens from Eastern Europe and the Near Ea