Talk:Orkney vole
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Subspecies edit
No sources are cited for the article as it stands. My source (Paul Morrison, 1994, Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe ISBN 0-333-62998-1) says Orkney Voles comprise two of the four subspecies of the common vole:
- Microtus agrestis orcadensis: confined to Mainland Orkney, South Ronaldsay and Rousay, characterised by dark dorsal surfaces and greyish underparts blushed with orange-buff
- Microtus agrestis sandayensis: occurs on the Orkney Islands of Westray and Sanday; is identified by paler dorsal fur and underparts marked with creamy yellow fur.
The other two subspecies are
- Microtus agrestis sarnius: restricted to Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The voles show pale brown dorsal surfaces and pure grey underparts
- Microtus agrestis arvalis: this smaller subspecies occurs throughout western Europe and is very similar to M. a. sandayensis with pale dorsal fur and creamy buff ventral surfaces
Which is correct? I think it is likely to be the article, as further scientific work since 1994 may well have established additional subspecies on the Orkney Islands - but we need a source. Jasper33 00:12, 30 December 2006 (UTC)
DNA analysis indicates transport by Neolithic humans from Belgium to support a local fox fur industry? edit
I have just removed the unsupported assertion in the article that says "DNA analysis indicates transport by Neolithic humans from Belgium to support a local fox fur industry". Neither of the references given even suggest this, as the one about voles, which makes no mention of foxes, says the voles were introduced in the neolithic and the other article about foxes says nothing about voles, but does say the foxes were introduced in the iron age. How could voles have been introduced in the neolithic, over 5,000 years ago, to support a fox fur industry that didn't come about until the late iron age some 3,000 years later? This is a classic case of WP:SYNTHESIS and one that clearly illustrates exactly why synthesis is not allowed in wikepedia. Richerman (talk) 23:39, 7 January 2017 (UTC)