Shansei vole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shansei vole |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Arvicolinae |
| Genus: | Craseomys |
| Species: |
C. shanseius
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| Binomial name | |
| Craseomys shanseius (Thomas, 1908)
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The Shansei vole (Craseomys shanseius) is a small rodent, a type of mouse-like animal. It lives only in the forests of north-central China.
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About the Shansei Vole
Scientists first officially described the Shansei vole in 1908. A British zoologist named Oldfield Thomas gave it its scientific name. For a while, some scientists thought it was just a type of grey red-backed vole.
However, the Shansei vole has a special feature: its adult molar teeth do not have roots! This makes it different from the grey red-backed vole. Its fur also looks more like other voles in the Craseomys group. The Shansei vole lives in a different area than the royal vole, which lives in Korea.
What Does It Look Like?
The Shansei vole looks a lot like the grey red-backed vole. But its back is a bit less reddish. Its sides are more of an ochre-grey color. The fur on its belly is greyish-buff.
Its tail is brown on top and white underneath. The tops of its feet are brownish-white. This vole has small eyes and small, round ears. The Shansei vole is about 10.5 centimeters (4.1 inches) long from its head to its body. Its tail is about 2.5 to 3 centimeters (1 to 1.2 inches) long.
Where Does It Live?
The Shansei vole lives only in China. You can find it in the southern part of Gansu and the northern parts of Sichuan and Shanxi. It also lives in the provinces of Shaanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Hennan, and Hubei. This vole usually makes its home in woodlands and forests.
Daily Life and Diet
The Shansei vole is mostly active at night. This means it is a nocturnal animal. Its main food is grasses, green leaves, and plant stems. It also eats some seeds.
Conservation Status
The Shansei vole lives across a wide area. Scientists believe there are many of these voles in total. It lives in several national nature reserves, which helps protect it. We don't know if its population is growing or shrinking. However, there are no big threats to this species right now. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
 | Dorothy Vaughan |
 | Charles Henry Turner |
 | Hildrus Poindexter |
 | Henry Cecil McBay |
