Dicrostonyx nunatakensis

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2017
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Rodentia; Cricetidae; Dicrostonyx; Dicrostonyx nunatakensis; Yukon; Canada; Stripe; Ogilvie; Ogilvie Mountains; Youngman; Chapman Lake; Seela Range; Cassiope tetragona; Dicrostonyx torquatus; Empetrum nigrum; Mountain avens; Ogilvie Mountains Collared Lemming
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/6706600; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6706600

37. Ogilvie Mountains Collared Lemming Dicrostonyx nunatakensis French: Lemming du Yukon / German: Ogilvie-Mountains-Halsbandlemming / Spanish: Lemming de collar de Ogilvie Other common names: Ogilvie Collared Lemming Taxonomy. Dicrostonyx torquatus nunatakensis Youngman, 1967, “ Yukon Territory, [Canada]: 20 mi. [= 32 km] S Chapman Lake (lat. 64°35, long. 138°13%), 5500 ft [= 1676 m].” Dicrostonyx nunatakensis is considered a subspecies of D. groenlandicus by some authorities, but a morphological study noted distinct differences in pelage color that led to recognition of D. nanatakensis as a distinct species. Dicrostonyx nunatakensis is thought to be an isolated Pleistocene relict that has been long separated on glacial nunataks in these mountains from other populations of Dicrostonyx. Additional systematic work on the D. groenlandicus complex is needed to fully understand species limits. Only 16 specimens are known from Trapper Mountain and Seela Range in the greater Ogilvie Mountains Range, but this region has received limited sampling. Monotypic. Distribution. Ogilvie Mts, N Yukon, Canada. Descriptive notes. Head—body 117-118 mm, tail length 11-12 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Ogilvie Mountains Collared Lemmings have dark graybrown pelage above, with thin mid-dorsal stripe, yellowish red ear patches, and pinkish gray belly. They are described as paler than other nearby populations of Dicrostonyx. Habitat. Rocky alpine habitat in only a few high-elevation sites in the Ogilvie Mountains. On Trappers Mountain and in the Seela Range, Ogilvie Mountains Collared Lemming is associated with dry heath (e.g. Arctous alpinus, Empetrum nigrum, Cassiope tetragona, and Vaccinium vitis-idaea, all Ericaceae, and Betula glandulosa, Betulaceae) habitat (1631-1709 m in elevation) with mountain avens (Dryas spp., Rosaceae), dwarf willow (Salix spp.), lichens (Thamnolia vermicularis, Icmadophilaceae and Flavocetraria nivalis, Parmeliaceae), and grasses (e.g. Anthoxanthum monticola, Poaceae) also present. ...