Marmota marmota (Linnaeus, 1758)

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Sciuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 648-837 : 817

242. Alpine Marmot

Marmota marmota

French: Marmotte des Alpes / German: Alpen-Murmeltier / Spanish: Marmota alpina

Other common names: Common Marmot

Taxonomy. Mus marmota Linnaeus, 1758 ,

“in alpibus Helveticis.” Restricted by O. Thomas in 1911 to “Swiss Alps.”

Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

M. m. marmota Linnaeus, 1758 — Alps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy. M. m. latirostris Kratochvil, 1961 — High Tatra Mts of Slovakia and Poland. Nominate subspecies reintroduced to Romania (Carpathian Mts) and Slovenia (Julian Alps), and introduced into the Black Forest (Germany), the Massif Central, Jura, and Vosgues (France), the Pyrenees (France, Spain, and Andorra), E Austria, Apennine Mts (Italy), N Serbia, Montenegro.

Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 500-600 mm,tail 140-168 mm; weight 2.5-5 kg. The Alpine Marmotis large and highly variable in color. Dorsum ranges from rust to brown to grizzled tan. Head is tan to dark brown, which extends to shoulders. Chin and snout have patch of white to buff. Venter is white to yellow to orange that can extend in suffusion up sides to form saddle on mid-back. Tail is paler at base, with slate-gray tip. Subspecies are virtually indistinguishable in hand.

Habitat. Alpine meadows and high-elevation pastures usually on south-facing slopes at elevations of 1200-3000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Alpine Marmotis herbivorous and eats grasses, forbs, and sedges, including their leaves, stems, flowers, and bulbs. It also eats select mosses and lichens and scavenges insects and animal matter. It feeds on agricultural crops, particularly cereal crops.

Breeding. The Alpine Marmot inhabits burrows that contain a nest chamber in which young are born. Mating occurs in burrows soon after emergence from hibernation in late April or early May. The Alpine Marmotis socially monogamous; however, c.33% oflitters are the product of extra-pair mating that results in litters of mixed paternities with sires from outside the social group. Extra-pair mating is usually from unrelated males and results in increased reproductive success and fitness. Dispersal by Alpine Marmots has a high cost due to increased mortality and difficulty of finding a place to settle in naturally fragmented habitats. Juveniles delay reproduction until at least their third year. Dominant adult resident female suppresses reproduction of other females in the family group, reducing genetic diversity of the group. Litters of 2—4 young are born after 33-34day gestation. Adult females rarely reproduce in successive years and prevalence of reproduction among females is only c.50% each year. Female reproductive success is positively correlated with body condition and experience; older and heavier females are most productive.

Activity patterns. The Alpine Marmot is diurnal and active primarily in midday unless challenged by summer heat. Communal or social hibernation occurs among social family groups for 6-7 months in burrows, with mid-spring emergence and immergence into plugged burrows by late September.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Burrow systems are extensive and complex—a reflection likely of the large communal social groups. Burrows can be 3-10 m in length, with multiple entrances that lead to terminal nest chamber 1-2 m belowground. Due to frequency of use by group members, network of conspicuous trails connects burrow entrances. Short simple escape burrows for cover from predators are also common within the territory. The Alpine Marmot lives in family groups that consist of adult male, adult female, and young less than three years of age that share a territory and burrows. Juveniles overwinter in natal areas, and older male offspring serve as helpers to assist younger siblings with social thermoregulation, which has been suggested to explain male-biased sex ratio in some populations. Females born into male-biased litters are more likely to be of high dominance because of increased in utero testosterone exposure. Males and many females disperse in their third year; however, inbreeding of sons with their mothers is known to occur if dispersal is delayed. Amicable behaviors such as greeting, allogrooming, and other physical contact are common among social-group members, and non-group members are aggressively chased. Immigrant adult males that assume control of a social group kill juveniles. Communication is primarily by vocalization and chemical and visual cues. Scent marking on structures and burrows is used to mark territories. Individuals practice vigilance while standing on their haunches and produce two alarm calls (common whistle and descending whistle) thatelicit awareness and vigilance by group members. Common whistle becomes more frequent as perceived risk increases.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Alpine Marmotis stable. Historically, it was hunted for meat, fur, and fat Hunting levels are sustainable in most areas. Major conservation challenge is abandonment of cattle grazing in high-elevation meadowsthat results in woody encroachment and tall vegetation. Hybridization with introduced nominate marmota is a potential threat to remaining small purebred populations of latirostris in the High Tatras.

Bibliography. Arnold (1988), Ballova & Sibik (2015), Barrio et al. (2013), Cohas et al. (2008), Dupont et al. (2015), Hacklander & Arnold (2012), Hacklander et al. (2003), King & Allainé (2002), Mann et al. (1993), Thomas (1911c¢), Thorington et al. (2012).

Figures

Subspecies and Distribution. M. m. marmota Linnaeus, 1758 — Alps in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy. M. m. latirostris Kratochvil, 1961 — High Tatra Mts of Slovakia and Poland. Nominate subspecies reintroduced to Romania (Carpathian Mts) and Slovenia (Julian Alps), and introduced into the Black Forest (Germany), the Massif Central, Jura, and Vosgues (France), the Pyrenees (France, Spain, and Andorra), E Austria, Apennine Mts (Italy), N Serbia, Montenegro.