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
This study is concerned primarily with mice from Wyoming and
Colorado; I realize, however, that the physiographic and ecological
conditions important to the distribution and subspeciation of
_Microtus pennsylvanicus_ do not correspond to political
boundaries. Geographic variation within these two states can be
seen in proper perspective only when related to the neighboring
areas and to previous studies. I have attempted to do this in the
accounts of the subspecies.
Approximately five months in the field in Wyoming and Colorado in
the summers of 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1953 gave me a familiarity
with the region that has helped to clarify the pattern of
distribution. My study was based, in addition, on 762 specimens
that are listed under "specimens examined" in the accounts of
subspecies, and on comparative material from other states. Most of
these specimens are skins with skulls but some are skins only and
others are skulls only. Some localities are represented by too few
adult individuals to permit significant comparisons. Owing to
damaged skulls, certain measurements of some specimens were omitted
from the calculations. If it seemed that the damaged skull was
exceptionally large or small or a deviant in any other regard it
was not used, in order not to bias the computed averages, which
might be used in comparing proportions of the skulls. In the lists
of specimens examined, localities that are omitted from Figure 2
because overlapping or undue crowding of the symbols would have
resulted are _italicized_.
[Illustration: FIGURE 2. Distribution of the subspecies of _Microtus
pennsylvanicus_ in Wyoming and Colorado. Solid dots represent
localities from which specimens have been examined, and triangles
represent localities reported in the literature from which I have not
examined specimens. The question mark in southern Colorado denotes a
questionable record discussed in the text.
A. _M. p. pullatus_
B. _M. p. insperatus_
C. _M. p. uligocola_
D. _M. p. finitus_
E. _M. p. modestus_
F. _M. p. aztecus_]
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