Northern Collared Lemming
| Northern Collared Lemming | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Dicrostonyx groenlandicus | ||||||||||||
| ( Traill , 1823) |
The Northern Collared Lemming ( Dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) is a rodent in the subfamily of voles .
features
The species reaches a head-trunk length of 100 to 157 mm, a tail length of 10 to 20 mm and a weight of 30 to 112 g. Before winter, different specimens can double their weight. The Northern Collared Lemming has a light gray summer coat that can have light brown or reddish brown shades. Dark stripes that vary in length or that are very faded are typical of the species. In some specimens there is only a dark eel line . As with the other collar lemmings, the winter fur is completely white. Furthermore, the northern collar lemming forms forked claws before winter , which make digging in the snow easier. The species differs from other collar lemmings in that it has a narrower snout, straighter incisors and shorter hind feet.
distribution
The distribution area is in the Arctic in Greenland , in northern Canada and in northern Alaska . In the mountains in the border area between Canada and Alaska, the species can be found above the tree line . The Northern Collared Lemming lives on dry and sometimes rocky hills in summer and inhabits snow-covered grassy areas in winter.
Way of life
The Northern Collared Lemming digs its burrow in the thawed ground or in the snow cover. The building usually consists of a tunnel up to 6 meters long with a diameter of up to 20 cm, and a final chamber, which is padded with hay. Depending on the season, grass, twigs, flowers, fruits or buds serve as food. Specimens in captivity have been successfully fed mushrooms and moss. Due to the shape of the teeth, it is assumed that the species also eats insects. There is currently no evidence for this.
In the wild, females usually have three litters between January and September. After a gestation of 19 to 21 days, 1 to 11 pups are born. These weigh an average of 3.8 g at birth. They are suckled for 15 to 20 days and reach sexual maturity after about 40 days (females) or 85 days (males). According to another source, the average number of litters per year is 8.5 and the average number of young animals per litter is 3.4. As with other lemmings, there are striking fluctuations in the population over several years.
Individual individuals reached an age of 3.3 years in captivity. In the wild, the Northern Collared Lemming rarely lives longer than a year.
status
The species has a number of natural predators such as owls , birds of prey , seagulls , foxes , wolves , wolverines, and polar bears . The winter fur is used by the Eskimos to decorate their clothes.
There are no significant threats to the entire population. The IUCN lists the Northern Collar Lemming as Least Concern .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference . 3. Edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus ).
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Tara Poloskey: Bering collared lemming in the Animal Diversity Web of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ↑ a b Nearctic Collared Lemming ( Memento of the original from July 30, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Smithsonian Institution , Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- ↑ a b Dicrostonyx groenlandicus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: Linzey, AV & NatureServe (Hammerson, G.), 2008. Accessed October 23, 2016th
- ^ A b Collared Lemming , The Animal Aging and Longevity Database
