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Synaptomys cooperi

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Southern Bog Lemming
(Synaptomys cooperi)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Muroidea
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Arvicolinae
Tribe:Lemmini
Genus:Synaptomys
Binomial details
Synaptomys cooperi S. F. Baird, 1858

Description

From Linzey (1983): "Synaptomys cooperi is a comparatively small vole with small eyes and ears, and a short tail. The head appears large relative to overall body size. Facial hairs can be erected to form a "facial disk" around the snout. Dorsal color ranges from bright chestnut to dark grizzled brown, whereas the venter is silver to light gray. Juvenal pelage is dark gray-brown and is replaced by subadult pelage that resembles the adult pelage, but is darker and duller (Connor, 1959). Bole and Moulthrop (1942) noted that fresh winter pelage of S. c. cooperi was longer, softer, and paler than the dark brown summer pelage. Howell (1927) also commented that the winter coat was longer and more dense."

External measurements

Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.

Part of range Reference Total length Tail length Hindfoot length Ear length Mass
Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland Webster et al. (1985) 119–136 17–27 26–36
Colorado Armstrong et al. (2010) 125–155 17–25 17–26 10–14 35–55
Minnesota Hazard (1982) 100–123 11–21 15.5–19 10–13 19.1–27.5
Virginia Linzey (1983) 94–154 13–24 16–24 8–14 21.4–50
Virginia Linzey (1998) 100–138 less than 25 14–24


Skull

From Naughton (2012): "Upper incisors are grooved on anterior surface; m3 has 4 closed triangles."

  • Dorsal view of the skull of Synaptomys cooperi
  • Dorsal view of the skull of Synaptomys cooperi
  • Dorsal view of the skull of Synaptomys cooperi
  • Dorsal view of the skull of Synaptomys cooperi
  • Skull of Synaptomys cooperi showing grooved upper incisors

Similar species

Differences between Synaptomys cooperi and Mictomys borealis (formerly S. borealis) are given in the key below, which is based on Linzey (1983) and Naughton (2012). The new name for Synamptomys borealis is Mictomys borealis, based on Hope et al. (2023).

Mammae six; each mandibular (lower jaw) molar has a closed triangle on the labial (outer) side; the third mandibular molar (m3) has 4 closed triangles; mandibular incisors heavy; palate ending posteriorly with a broad blunt median projection...................... Synaptomys cooperi
Mammae eight; each mandibular (lower jaw) molar lacks a closed triangle on the labial (outer) side; the third mandibular molar (m3) has 3 closed loops; mandibular incisors relatively slender; palate ending posteriorly with a sharply pointed median projection... Northern Bog Lemming (Mictomys borealis)

References

Bole BP Jr, Moulthrop PN. 1942. The Ohio Recent mammal collection in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Scientific publications of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History 5:83-181.

Connor PF. 1959. The bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi in southern New Jersey. Publications of the Museum. Michigan State University. Biological Series 1:161-248.

Hall ER. 1981. The mammals of North America. 2 vols. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Hope AG, Headlee KM, Olson ZH, Wiens BJ. 2023. Systematics, biogeography and phylogenomics of northern bog lemmings (Cricetidae), cold-temperate rodents of conservation concern under global change. Systematics and Biodiversity 21:1:2237050. https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2023.2237050

Howell AB. 1927. Revision of the American lemming mice (Genus Synaptomys). North American Fauna 50:1-38.

Linzey AV. 1983. Synaptomys cooperi. Mammalian Species (210): 1-5.

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