Synaptomys australis, the Florida bog lemming, is an extinct species of bog lemming that occurred in Florida during the Late Pleistocene.
| Synaptomys australis Temporal range: Pleistocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Arvicolinae |
| Genus: | Synaptomys |
| Species: | †S. australis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Synaptomys australis (Simpsons, 1928)[1] | |
Taxonomy
Although the bog lemmings are not indigenous to Florida at the present time, remains are known there from the Pleistocene, indicating the range of these normally cold-adapted rodents extended further south during glaciation events.[2] The Florida bog lemming was described from a lower jaw collected from Pleistocene deposits in 1928.[3] Its taxonomic status as a full species has been questioned however, with some researchers considering it a prehistoric race of the southern bog lemming.[4][5]
Description
The Florida bog lemming was slightly larger than the living southern bog lemming.[4] It went extinct around 12,000 BP, as a result of glacial retreat and the return of very warm temperatures.
References
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