Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus montanus, in Wyoming and Colorado — John Shaqi
Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus montanus, in Wyoming and ColoradoAnderson, Sydney
Science
Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus montanus, in Wyoming and Colorado
Anderson, Sydney
Mice
_Type._--Male, adult, skin and skull, No. 32761, Museum of Natural
History, University of Kansas, from Medicine Wheel Ranch, 9000 ft.,
28 mi. E Lovell, Big Horn County, Wyoming; obtained by R. Freiburg,
original number 105.
_Range._--The Big Horn Mountains of north-central Wyoming.
_Diagnosis._--A large _Microtus montanus_ with a relatively short
tail; short molar series; broad zygomatic arches well rounded in
lateral outline when viewed from above; small and flattened bullae;
raised basioccipito-basisphenoid suture.
_Comparisons._--For comparison with _M. m. codiensis_ from the
west, on the other side of the Big Horn Basin, see the account of
that subspecies. In comparison with _nanus_ this subspecies is
slightly paler, in this respect showing more resemblance to
_codiensis_ although not so pale, and more grizzled or unevenly
colored. This difference in color between _zygomaticus_ and
_codiensis_ may not be of taxonomic significance. From both the
topotypes of _nanus_, and the series of it from Wyoming,
_zygomaticus_ differs on the average in having a relatively shorter
tail, a relatively shorter upper molar tooth-row, relatively more
rounded and relatively more wide-spread zygomatic arches, and
smaller more flattened bullae.
_Measurements._--Average and extreme measurements of 24 adult males
and females from several localities here referred to _M. m.
zygomaticus_ are as follows: total length, 159(150-175); length of
tail, 37.6(31-46); hind foot, 18.6(17-20); condylobasilar length of
the skull, 25.3(24.2-26.7); zygomatic breadth, 15.3(14.1-16.7);
alveolar length of upper molar tooth-row, 6.2 (5.7-6.8);
prelambdoidal breadth, 8.7(8.3-9.4); lambdoidal breadth,
11.9(11.0-12.5). Average and extreme measurements of a series of 12
adult male topotypes are as follows: total length, 159(144-174);
length of tail, 36.4 (30-41); hind foot, 18.2(16-20);
condylobasilar length of skull, 25.8(24.7-26.7); alveolobasilar
length, 14.8(13.8-15.3); palatilar length, 13.8 (12.7-14.2);
alveolar length of upper molar tooth-row, 6.4(5.9-6.6); zygomatic
breadth, 15.9 (15.0-16.7); interorbital breadth, 3.6(3.4-3.7);
lambdoidal breadth, 12.1 (11.5-12.5); prelambdoidal breadth,
8.6(8.3-8.9); depth of braincase, 8.0 (7.6-8.3).
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