To which scientific family does the water vole, genus Arvicola, belong?
Answer
Cricetidae family
The water vole, identified by its genus *Arvicola*, is scientifically classified within the Cricetidae family. This family is expansive and includes many other types of small rodents. The text specifically notes that the deep evolutionary placement of *Arvicola* is subject to ongoing refinement, with some molecular research suggesting it might form a sister group to the tribe Lagurini, rather than the Arvicolini tribe, which its name suggests a closer association with. Despite these ongoing debates about tribe-level relationships, its membership in the broader Cricetidae family remains the established classification context provided.
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