Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming, Colorado, and Adjacent Areas — John Shaqi
Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming, Colorado, and Adjacent AreasAnderson, Sydney
Science
Subspeciation in the Meadow Mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, in Wyoming, Colorado, and Adjacent Areas
Anderson, Sydney
Mice
_Specimens examined._--Total 228. _Colorado_: LARIMER CO.: 6 mi. W,
1/2 mi. S Loveland, 5200 ft., 18; 3 _mi. N Loveland_, 3;
_Loveland_, 4 (USBS). MORGAN CO.: 4 mi. W Orchard, 4 (Mich);
_Orchard_, 1 (Mich). BOULDER CO.: Boulder, 91 (USNM 19, UC 12, Chi
60 examined, additional specimens in the collection); _Valmont_, 4
(UC). CLEAR CREEK CO.: Clear Creek, N side of Idaho Springs, 1.
JEFFERSON CO.: Olivet, 10 (Denv). ADAMS CO.: Crook's Lake, 8
(Denv); Barr, 16 (Denv 15, ERW 1). ARAPAHOE CO.: Denver, 21 (USBS
3, AMNH 8, Denv 10). PARK CO.: William's Ranch, near Tarryall, 11
(Denv). TELLER CO.: Divide, 2 (ERW). EL PASO CO.: Colorado Springs,
31 (ERW 22, AMNH 7, MVZ 2); 12 mi. S Colorado Springs, 3 (MVZ).
Microtus pennsylvanicus finitus new subspecies
_Type._--Adult female, skin and skull, number 50204, University of
Kansas, Museum of Natural History, obtained by J. K. Jones, Jr.,
original number 906, 5 miles north and 2 miles west of Parks in
Dundy County, Nebraska, on August 16, 1952.
_Range._--The valley of the north fork of the Republican River in
eastern Colorado and southwestern Nebraska.
_Diagnosis._--Entire animal and skull large; color dark for the
species; zygomatic breadth large; upper molars large and upper
molar tooth-row relatively long; braincase elongate; auditory
meatus relatively small; bullae large; incisors relatively
procumbent.
_Comparisons._--From _M. p. uligocola_, the subspecies to the west,
_M. p. finitus_ differs in darker color. These subspecies resemble
each other in large size and large molar teeth. A comparison of
nine pairs of skulls by the "method of pairs" shows three features
in which _finitus_ (from at, or near, the type locality) differs
from _uligocola_ (from at, or near, the type locality); in 7 of 9
pairs _finitus_ had a relatively more elongate braincase
(Confidence Limit .60); in 9 of 9 pairs _uligocola_ had larger
auditory meatuses (C. L. .99); in 7 of 9 pairs _uligocola_ had
relatively larger bullae (C. L. .80). From _M. p. pennsylvanicus_
(Ord) from eastern Nebraska and eastern South Dakota _finitus_
differs in larger size; darker color; larger molar teeth and longer
upper molar tooth-row. Five pairs of skulls were compared; in all 5
pairs, _finitus_ had more procumbent incisor teeth (C. L. .97) and
wider first upper molars (C. L. .97); and in 4 of 5 pairs _finitus_
had a relatively more elongate braincase (C. L. .60). From _M. p.
insperatus_, the subspecies to the north, _finitus_ differs as
follows: color darker, size larger, molar teeth relatively larger
and alveolar length of the upper molar tooth-row greater. Five
pairs of skulls were compared and in all 5 pairs _finitus_ had more
procumbent upper incisors (C. L. .97) than _insperatus_; in 4 of 5
pairs _insperatus_ had a relatively more elongate braincase (C. L.
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