Clethrionomys californicus

(C. H. Merriam, 1890)

Western Red-backed Vole

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodentia
Suborder : Supramyomorpha
Infraorder : Myomorphi
Superfamily : Muroidea
Family : Cricetidae
Subfamily : Arvicolinae
Tribe : Clethrionomyini
Genus : Clethrionomys

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Merriam, C.H. 1890-10-08. Descriptions of two new species of Evotomys from the Pacific Coast region of the United States. North American Fauna 4:25-26.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25799817

Original name as described

Evotomys californicus

Other common names

California Red-backed Vole

Type material

USNM:MAMM:17011 (= USNM:MAMM:A23920)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3c8064a61-8b20-43a3-a85c-4cf3a0f18728

Type locality

Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA.

Biogeographic realm

Nearctic

Country distribution

United States

Subregion distribution

USA(OR,CA)

Taxonomy notes

oldest name available for this genus is now Clethrionomys, as Myodes was shown to be a synonym of Lemmus (however, this is controversial)

Taxonomy notes citation

Kryštufek, B., Tesakov, A. S., Lebedev, V. S., Bannikova, A. A., Abramson, N. I., & Shenbrot, G. (2020). Back to the future: the proper name for red-backed voles is Clethrionomys Tilesius and not Myodes Pallas. Mammalia, 84(2), 214-217.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1002161

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Evotomys californicus

(C. H. Merriam, 1890)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

californicus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:17011 (= USNM:MAMM:A23920)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3c8064a61-8b20-43a3-a85c-4cf3a0f18728

Authority page

26

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25799817

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

Miller (1896:44, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25811333) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14564)

Evotomys mazama

(C. H. Merriam, 1897)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

mazama

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:79913

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/330cfa9b1-5f36-4bc9-aea3-6a792908a553

Authority page

71

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2263342

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

  1. Merriam (1899:95, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25811778) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14568)
  2. Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Evotomys obscurus

(C. H. Merriam, 1897)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:80413

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/36d7b7123-1485-4a97-8825-bd3f8f0871f5

Authority page

72

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2263341

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

  1. Kellogg (1916:362, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29524774) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69086)
  2. Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)

Clethrionomys californicus

V. O. Bailey, 1936

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

californicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

191

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806104

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

  1. Bailey (1936:191, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806104) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:480) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Corbet & Hill (1991:168) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  4. Musser & Carleton (1993:508) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63347)
  5. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:234) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1002161) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  7. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42616/115195295) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Clethrionomys californicus californicus

V. O. Bailey, 1936

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

californicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

191

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806104

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

Bailey (1936:191, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806104) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)

Clethrionomys californicus obscurus

V. O. Bailey, 1936

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

192

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806105

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

Bailey (1936:192, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806105) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)

Myodes californicus

(Musser & Carleton, 2005)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

californicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Musser & Carleton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8562)
  2. Bradley, Ammerman, Baker, Bradley, Cook, Dowler, Jones, Schmidly, Stangl, Van Den Bussche & Würsig (2014:17, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57785981) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/19157)
  3. Wilson, Mittermeier & Lacher (2017:301) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57900)
  4. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #42616) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #42616) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)

Myodes californicus californicus

(D. E. Wilson, Mittermeier, & Lacher, 2017)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

californicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

301

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson, Mittermeier & Lacher (2017:301) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57900)

Myodes californicus mazama

(D. E. Wilson, Mittermeier, & Lacher, 2017)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

mazama

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

301

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson, Mittermeier & Lacher (2017:301) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57900)

Myodes californicus obscurus

(D. E. Wilson, Mittermeier, & Lacher, 2017)

Family

Cricetidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

301

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson, Mittermeier & Lacher (2017:301) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57900)

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