Black Color Morph of the Brown Lemming, Lemmus trimucronatus = L. sibiricus

• Published in: The Canadian Field-Naturalist
• Main Authors: Holt, Denver W., Maples, Michael T., Savok, Chris
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club 2003
• Subjects: Brown Lemming; Lemmus trimucronatus = Lemmus sibiricus; melanism; black morph; colour morph; Alaska; Barrow; Lemmus sibiricus; Lemmus trimucronatus; snowy owl
• Online Access: https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/808; https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v117i3.808

A black pelage Brown Lemming is reported from Barrow, Alaska. The occurrence of this black color morph appears to be rare. During twelve years of Snowy Owl research and lemming trapping, only one has been seen. Of 554 snap-trapped Brown Lemmings and 1649 Brown Lemmings found cached at owl nests, no black individuals were found. The pelage of the black morph is described using a Munsell Soil Color Chart.