voles (arvicolinae) in the collection of the laboratory of population ecology, institute of zoology, nas of ukraine

Basic information about the collection of vole skulls stored in population ecology laboratory of the Institute of Zoology, NAS of Ukraine is given. In total, there are more than 12,000 skulls of 23 arvicolid species stored in the laboratory. They were collected not only in Ukraine, but also in adjacent countries (Poland, Romania), as well as in countries of the former USSR (Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan). The main part of the collection consists of social vole (Microtus socialis) materials, which had been used as research objects in the laboratory for a long period of time (1970–1990). As a result, a huge amount of osteological materials (more than 10 000 skulls) was accumulated. The second largest part is the skulls collection of M. arvalis s. l. (1105 skulls) presented by findings from the territory of Ukraine and neighboring countries. The record localities for each arvicolid species are listed as well.