Heather vole

Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius

Phenacomys intermedius is an extant species of vole that probably evolved in North America. Currently it is widely distributed in Canada and the mountainous regions of the western U.S., but enjoyed a more easterly and southerly distribution during the last ice age. Because it is a boreal species, it is considered to be a good indicator of past climates; its recovery from late Pleistocene deposits in the Midwestern U.S. indicate that this region was cooler and wetter than it is today. 

Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius

Heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius, study skins in the zoological collections of the Illinois State Museum, Springfield. 

Order: 
Rodentia (Rodents)
Family: 
Cricetidae (Lemmings and Voles)
Statistics: 

Length: 12.2-15.5 cm (4.8-6.1 inches)

Weight: 30-40 g (1-1.4 ounces)

Status: 
Migrated