Molecular identification of three sympatric species of wood mice ( Apodemus sylvaticus , A. flavicollis , A. alpicola ) in western Europe (Muridae: Rodentia)

Abstract The woodmouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus ) and yellow‐necked fieldmouse ( Apodemus flavicollis ) are sympatric and even syntopic in many regions throughout their European range. Their field discrimination on the basis of external characters is a real challenge for many fields of research. The problem is even more complicated in the Alpine chain where they live sympatrically with a third similar species: A. alpicola . A rapid and simple method is proposed to discriminate the three species in processing field‐collected biopsies as well as ethanol‐preserved museum samples.