''Synaptomys'' is a genus of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

lemming A lemming is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic in tundra biomes. Lemmings form the subfamily Arvicolinae (also known as Microtinae) together with voles and muskrats, which form part of the superfamily Muroidea, which also include ...

s. These animals live in wet forested and open areas. They are small, cylindrical rodents with large heads and short ears, legs, and tails. They eat green vegetation such as grasses and sedges. They are often found in colonies.

Systematics

The genus ''Synaptomys'' comprises two extant species and 10 extinct species.

Extant species

Northern bog lemming The northern bog lemming (''Synaptomys borealis'') is a small North American lemming. It is one of two species in the genus ''Synaptomys'', the other being the southern bog lemming. Description They have cylindrical bodies covered with long grey ...

(''S. borealis'' Richardson, 1828) *

Southern bog lemming The southern bog lemming (''Synaptomys cooperi'') is a small North American lemming. Its range overlaps with the other species in genus ''Synaptomys'', the northern bog lemming, in southeastern Canada, but extends farther south. Description So ...

(''S. cooperi'' Baird 1858)

Extinct species

Florida bog lemming ''Synaptomys australis'', the Florida bog lemming, is an extinct species of bog lemming that occurred in Florida during the Late Pleistocene. Taxonomy Although the bog lemmings are not indigenous to Florida at the present time, remains are known ...

(''S. australis'' Simpson 1928) * Bunker's bog lemming (''S. bunkeri'' Hibbard 1939) * Morgan's bog lemming (''S. morgani'' Martin et al. 2003) A number of other fossil species have been included here but have since been transferred to other genera, such as '' Mictomys'' and '' Praesynaptomys''.

Systematics

Extant species

Extinct species

References

Further reading