Phenacomys intermedius Merriam 1889

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Cricetidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 955-1189 : 1035

Phenacomys intermedius Merriam 1889

Phenacomys intermedius Merriam 1889 , N. Amer. Fauna, 2: 32.

Type Locality: Canada, British Columbia Prov., 20 mi (32 km) NNW Kamloops.

Vernacular Names: Western Heather Vole.

Synonyms: Phenacomys celsus A. B. Howell 1923 ; Phenacomys constablei J. A. Allen 1899 ; Phenacomys laingi Anderson 1942 ; Phenacomys levis A. B. Howell 1923 ; Phenacomys olympicus Elliot 1899 ; Phenacomys oramontis Rhoads 1895 ; Phenacomys orophilus Merriam 1891 ; Phenacomys preblei Merriam 1897 ; Phenacomys pumilus (Elliot 1899) ; Phenacomys truei J. A. Allen 1894 .

Distribution: NW British Columbia and SW Alberta, Canada, south to N New Mexico, C Utah, and N California, USA; disjunct populations in EC California and W Nevada, USA.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Howell (1926) originally recognized three species ( intermedius , mackenzii , and ungava ) of heather voles, later reduced to two ( intermedius and ungava including mackenzii ) by Anderson (1942, 1947). Crowe (1943) further lumped all under intermedius based on suspected intergrades from SW Alberta, and the recognition of a single species has been generally followed (e.g., Banfield, 1974; Corbet and Hill, 1991; Hall and Cockrum, 1953) but not exclusively so ( Cowan and Guiguet, 1965; Miller and Kellogg, 1955; Peterson, 1966). Foster and Peterson (1961) questioned Crowe’s appreciation of age-effects in his identification of the alleged intergrades between intermedius and ungava . As remarked by Cowan and Guiguet (1965), the matter of their synonymy "requires more detailed examination before a decision can be reached," an appraisal which stands equally valid today. See McAllister and Hoffmann (1988, Mammalian Species, 305, including ungava ).