Dicrostonyx nelsoni Merriam 1900
- Dataset
- Cricetidae
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Chordata
- class
- Mammalia
- order
- Rodentia
- family
- Cricetidae
- genus
- Dicrostonyx
- species
- Dicrostonyx nelsoni
activity
Activity patterns. Nelson’s Collared Lemming is terrestrial and probably active throughout the year, feeding day and night.
biology_ecology
Habitat. Drier and rockier shrublands and tundra of western Alaska.
biology_ecology
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
breeding
Breeding. Nelson's Collared Lemmings might breed year-round, with gestation averaging c. 20 days and litters likely of 1 - 8 young.
conservation
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.
description
Descriptive notes. Head — body 126 - 135 mm, tail 9 - 13 mm; weight 45 - 72 g. Nelson's Collared Lemming is stocky, with relatively short limbs and tail. It is seasonally dimorphic, white in winter and grayish brown in summer. There is usually a reddish collar in summer.
discussion
Dicrostonyx nelsoni is monotypic and is not recognized as a distinct species by some, but instead considered a subspecies of D. groenlandicus. Other taxonomists, based on chromosomal differences and breeding studies, suggest that there are up to three species of collared lemming in Alaska alone.
distribution
Distribution. W Alaska, from Seward Peninsula S to Alaska Peninsula and Unimak I (previously considered D. peninsulae), and including population on St. Lawrence I (previously considered D. exsul).
food_feeding
Food and Feeding. Nelson's Collared Lemming eats leaves, flowers, buds, and roots of shrubs, herbs, and sedges. Willows (Salix, Salicaceae) are especially important as a winter food.
Name
- Homonyms
- Dicrostonyx nelsoni Merriam 1900
- Common names
- Lawrence Island Collared Lemming in 英語
- Lemming de Nelson in フランス語
- Lemming de collar de Nelson in language.
- Nelson's Collared Lemming in 英語
- Nelson-Halsbandlemming in ドイツ語
- St in 英語
- St. Lawrence Island Collared Lemming in 英語