Abstract
The morphology of lower molar teeth of Bedford's red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rufocanus bedfordiae, was examined histologically, and following results were obtained. 1. The formula for the dentition of this animal was written : 1 1/1 C 0/0 P 0/0 M 3/3=16 2. The crown of the first molar (M_1) was the largest in size, composed of four lobes. The crown of the second (M_2) and the third (M_3) molars was composed of three lobes. Each lobe was divided from adjacent lobes by a large indentation. 3. Each lobe consisted of greater part of dentin, which was covered by the enamel except for the proximal portions of the 1st lobes (M_1, M_2, M_3) and the lingual and buccal portions of the 3rd (M_2, M_3) and the 4th (M_1) lobes. 4. A large indentation (a groove) between neighboring lobes was filled with filling cementum, which was rich in blood vessels and was regarded as a type of vasocementum. 5. Pericoronal cementum, covering directly the dentin at the enamel free area, was relatively thick and occasionally contained well-developed cement corpuscles. 6. Each molar tooth had two roots, one proximal root and one distal root. In M_1, the proximal root arose from the 1st and the 2nd lobes and the distal root arose from the 3rd and the 4th lobes. In M_2 and M_3, the proximal root arose from the proximal lobe and the distal root arose from central and distal lobes. 7. The ratio of the length between the crown and the root was approximately 1 : 1. 8. M_1, M_2, M_3 were rooted teeth, but their root tips were not fully developed even in adult animals. 9. From the present findings, it was considered that lower molar teeth of Bedford's redacked vole might belong to the category of semihypsodont teeth, close to those of mongolian gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus.
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