RED-BACKED VOLE, Clethrionomys rutilus, and allies 



(Avingak) 



Range. — Most of Alaska except for a narrow 

 coastal strip in the southeast, and northern Canada 

 to Hudson Bay. 



Habitat. — These ground-dwelling voles prefer 

 cool, moist situations, with some overhead cover; 

 they occupy tundra and forested regions, and are 

 perhaps the most common small mammal in 

 Alaska. 



Ra/;es in Alaska. — The tundra red-backed vole, 

 Clethrionomys rutilus, occurs over most of the 

 mainland; the common race is dawsoni.^ Several 

 other races, restricted in range, are the following : 

 gl-acialis (type locality : Glacier Bay), known only 

 from vicinity of the type locality; instdari.s (type 

 locality : west side of Canoe Passage, Hawkins 

 Island, Prince William Sound), known only from 

 Hawkins and Hincliinbrook Islands; orca (type 

 locality: Orca), from several islands in the west- 

 ern part, of and the mainland bordering Prince 

 William Sound ; watsoni ( type locality : Cape 

 Yakataga), known only from the Cape Yakataga 

 region in southeastern Alaska. An island form, 

 albiventer (type locality: Savoonga, 2 miles east 

 of North Cape) , is known only from St. Lawrence 



Island, where it lives among rocks; it is regarded 

 by some as a full species, by others as a race of 

 rutilus. 



Related species. — Several races of the boreal red- 

 backed vole, Clethrionomys gapferi, occupy small 

 ranges in southeastern Alaska, as follows : phaeus 

 (type locality: Marten Arm, Boca de Quadra) 

 ranges from the Chickamin River (Behm Canal) 

 southward in Alaska; solus (type locality : Loring, 

 Revillagigedo Island) occurs only on this island; 

 stikins-nsis occurs at Bradfield Canal and Helm 

 Bay on the Cleveland Peninsula; wrangeli (type 

 locality: Wrangeli) is known only from Wrangeli 

 and Revillagigedo Islands. 



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