Microtus (Mynomes) breweri Baird 1857

Microtus (Mynomes) breweri Baird 1857, Mammalia, in: Repts. U. S. Expl. Surv., Vol. 8, 1: 525.

Type Locality: USA, Massachusetts, Muskeget Isl, off Nantucket.

Vernacular Names: Beach Vole.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (nt).

Discussion: Subgenus Mynomes, pennsylvanicus species group sensu Zagorodnyuk (1990) . An insular vicariant of M. pennsylvanicus, the two are inseparable karyotypically (Fivush et al., 1975; Modi, 1986), marginally distinct electrophoretically (Kohn and Tamarin, 1978), but morphologically sharply discrete (Bailey, 1900; Miller, 1896; Moyer et al., 1988). Although posited as conspecific with M. pennsylvanicus (e.g., Corbet and Hill, 1991; Jones et al., 1986; Modi, 1986; Whitaker and Hamilton, 1998), Moyer et al. (1988) mustered convincing evidence for the retention of breweri as a species. See Tamarin and Kunz (1974, Mammalian Species, 45).