The Prairie Vole, Microtus ochrogaster

The Prairie Vole is a North American rodent that is often studied as a model for social monogamy, as it exhibits male-female pair bonding, biparental offspring care, and alloparenting. In this site, we shall consider the phylogeny, ontogeny, mechanism, and adaptive value of this behavior.

http://www.umass.edu/cns/images/gdv_mice.jpg

Prairie Vole Basics (Prairie Vole Information)

Physical description: Aproximately 15 cm long, 3 cm tail, short ears and 67 g weight. Grey-brown top fur, yellow patches underneath. Sex can be determined by the female's 6 nipples.

Lifespan: Usually less than a year.

Range and Habitat: North American grasslands and prairies. They live in colonies in shallow burrows.

Diet: Grasses, roots, fruit, seeds, and bark.

Predators: Coyotes, hawks, owls, foxes.

Reproduction:Reproductive age for females is reached at 30 days after birth and 35 days for males. Reproduction occurs year round. Approximately 3 litters of 5 offspring per female. Gestation period of 21 days.