The
phylogeny of the Arvicolinae has been studied using morphological and molecular characters. Markers for the molecular phylogeny of arvicolines included the
mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (
cyb) gene and the exon 10 of the
growth hormone receptor (
ghr) nuclear gene. The comparison of the
cyb and
ghr phylogenetic results seems to indicate nuclear genes are useful for resolving relationships of recently evolved animals. As compared to mitochondrial genes,
nuclear genes display several informative sites in third
codon positions that evolve rapidly enough to accumulate
synapomorphies, but slow enough to avoid evolutionary noise. Of note, mitochondrial
pseudogenes translocated within the nuclear genome complicate the assessment of the mitochondrial DNA
orthology, but they can also be used as phylogenetic markers. Sequencing complete mitochondrial genomes of voles may help to distinguish between authentic genes and pseudogenes. The complementary phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular characters suggests: •
Ellobius,
Prometheomys, and
Lagurus are among the most basal arvicolines. •
Dicrostonyx,
Phenacomys, and
Arborimus may form a clade. • Core arvicolines include four subclades: •
Lemmini:
Synaptomys,
Lemmus,
Myopus •
Myodini:
Eothenomys,
Myodes •
Arvicolini:
Arvicola •
Microtini:
Alexandromys,
Chionomys,
Hyperacrius,
Lasiopodomys,
Lemmiscus,
Microtus,
Mictomicrotus,
Neodon,
Proedromys,
Stenocranius,
Volemys •
Ondatra and
Dinaromys positions are uncertain, probably compromised by the
convergent evolution of morphological characters. Some authorities have placed the
zokors within the Arvicolinae, but they have been shown to be unrelated. A 2021 study found
Lemmini to be the most basal group of Arvicolinae. The study also found
Arvicola to actually fall outside the tribe
Arvicolini, and to be sister to the tribe
Lagurini. == Classification ==