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Alaska marmot
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Alaska marmot
The Alaska marmot (Marmota broweri), also known as the Brooks Range marmot or the Brower's marmot, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. Once considered to be the same species as the hoary marmot, it is now known to be unique. Alaska marmots are found in the scree slopes of the Brooks Range, Alaska. Specifically, they prefer to dwell on rocky, mountainous terrain, generally near lakes. They eat vegetation found on mountainsides, such as grasses, seeds, and lichen. Their relatively thick bodies are covered in dense, grey fur. They live in large colonies that consist of multiple families. During the winter, they hibernate for long periods of time in burrows. While not well researched, they are not believed to be particularly threatened, by human activity or otherwise. The Alaskan government has designated February 2 as "Marmot Day", a holiday intended to recognize the prevalence of marmots in the state, similar to the more widely celebrated American holiday of Groundhog Day.
Marmota broweri was described as a subspecies of the hoary marmot, M. caligata, but was later raised to species-level based on karyotypic differences. Studies are still needed to evaluate the effects of genetic isolation on their fragmented distribution.
The Alaska marmot's ancestry traces to the Pleistocene epoch. There are no known fossils of Marmota broweri. However, a fossil reportedly belonging to M. flavescens that is dated to the Late Pleistocene, recovered from the Trail Creek Caves on the Seward Peninsula has been hypothesized as being an incorrect identification of an M. broweri fossil.
The evolutionary lineages of the 14 marmot species distributed across the Holarctic are relatively ambiguous. Cytochrome b sequences indicated that M. broweri is most likely related to M. caudata, M. menzbieri, M. marmota, and M. monax. In support to the cytochrome b results, experimentation involving mitochondrial DNA has suggested that M. broweri is most likely related to M. caudata and M. menzbieri. However, morphological data have linked M. broweri to M. camtschatica. In addition, somatic chromosome analysis, ecological data, and behavioral data have shown that there is a link between M. broweri and M. caligata.
In terms of global distribution, the Alaska marmot is Nearctic. Alaska marmots inhabit the mountains that lie north of the Yukon and Porcupine rivers in central and northern Alaska—including the Brooks Range, Ray Mountains, and Kokrines Hills. However, there have been reports of Alaska marmots in the Richardson Mountains in the northern Yukon Territory but these sightings have not yet been confirmed. Their overall distribution is still poorly understood. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not consider their population "severely fragmented", but the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has described it as "patchy".
Alaska marmots are found scattered throughout Alaska as small colonies, each consisting of several families. Their locations have been documented in the Brooks Range from Lake Peters to Cape Lisburne and Cape Sabine. There have been sightings of the species near rivers in the Northern Baird mountains, in the Mulik Hills, near Copter Peak in the De Long Mountains, and south of the Brooks Range in the Spooky Valley and in the Kokrines Hills.
The Alaska marmots are found in grassland, inland cliffs, and mountain peaks. They are located at elevations of about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft). They are often found in boulder fields, rock slides and outcrops, terminal moraines, and Talus slopes in Alpine tundra with herbaceous forage. The species inhabits slopes surrounding lakes, and are found less commonly away from lakes. Alaska marmots inhabit permanent winter dens that are used for as long as twenty years. The entrances are plugged with vegetation, dirt, and feces. These dens are usually located near a ledge which functions as an observation post. A colony consists of several individual family burrows built in close proximity to one another. Their fur coloration helps them blend in amongst rocks.
Alaskan marmots possess a short neck, broad and short head, small ears, short powerful legs and feet, bushy and densely furred tail, and a thick body covered in coarse hair. Adult Alaska marmots' fur on their nose and the dorsal part of their head are usually of a dark color. Their feet may be light or dark in color. M. broweri have tough claws adapted for digging, however the thumbs of their front limbs do not have these claws but flat nails instead. Their body size is highly variable due to hibernation cycles. For males, the average total length is 61 centimetres (24 in) and the average weight is 3.6 kilograms (7.9 lb). Adult females are slightly smaller, having an average length of 58 centimetres (23 in) and 3.2 kilograms (7.1 lb).
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Alaska marmot
The Alaska marmot (Marmota broweri), also known as the Brooks Range marmot or the Brower's marmot, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. Once considered to be the same species as the hoary marmot, it is now known to be unique. Alaska marmots are found in the scree slopes of the Brooks Range, Alaska. Specifically, they prefer to dwell on rocky, mountainous terrain, generally near lakes. They eat vegetation found on mountainsides, such as grasses, seeds, and lichen. Their relatively thick bodies are covered in dense, grey fur. They live in large colonies that consist of multiple families. During the winter, they hibernate for long periods of time in burrows. While not well researched, they are not believed to be particularly threatened, by human activity or otherwise. The Alaskan government has designated February 2 as "Marmot Day", a holiday intended to recognize the prevalence of marmots in the state, similar to the more widely celebrated American holiday of Groundhog Day.
Marmota broweri was described as a subspecies of the hoary marmot, M. caligata, but was later raised to species-level based on karyotypic differences. Studies are still needed to evaluate the effects of genetic isolation on their fragmented distribution.
The Alaska marmot's ancestry traces to the Pleistocene epoch. There are no known fossils of Marmota broweri. However, a fossil reportedly belonging to M. flavescens that is dated to the Late Pleistocene, recovered from the Trail Creek Caves on the Seward Peninsula has been hypothesized as being an incorrect identification of an M. broweri fossil.
The evolutionary lineages of the 14 marmot species distributed across the Holarctic are relatively ambiguous. Cytochrome b sequences indicated that M. broweri is most likely related to M. caudata, M. menzbieri, M. marmota, and M. monax. In support to the cytochrome b results, experimentation involving mitochondrial DNA has suggested that M. broweri is most likely related to M. caudata and M. menzbieri. However, morphological data have linked M. broweri to M. camtschatica. In addition, somatic chromosome analysis, ecological data, and behavioral data have shown that there is a link between M. broweri and M. caligata.
In terms of global distribution, the Alaska marmot is Nearctic. Alaska marmots inhabit the mountains that lie north of the Yukon and Porcupine rivers in central and northern Alaska—including the Brooks Range, Ray Mountains, and Kokrines Hills. However, there have been reports of Alaska marmots in the Richardson Mountains in the northern Yukon Territory but these sightings have not yet been confirmed. Their overall distribution is still poorly understood. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not consider their population "severely fragmented", but the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has described it as "patchy".
Alaska marmots are found scattered throughout Alaska as small colonies, each consisting of several families. Their locations have been documented in the Brooks Range from Lake Peters to Cape Lisburne and Cape Sabine. There have been sightings of the species near rivers in the Northern Baird mountains, in the Mulik Hills, near Copter Peak in the De Long Mountains, and south of the Brooks Range in the Spooky Valley and in the Kokrines Hills.
The Alaska marmots are found in grassland, inland cliffs, and mountain peaks. They are located at elevations of about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft). They are often found in boulder fields, rock slides and outcrops, terminal moraines, and Talus slopes in Alpine tundra with herbaceous forage. The species inhabits slopes surrounding lakes, and are found less commonly away from lakes. Alaska marmots inhabit permanent winter dens that are used for as long as twenty years. The entrances are plugged with vegetation, dirt, and feces. These dens are usually located near a ledge which functions as an observation post. A colony consists of several individual family burrows built in close proximity to one another. Their fur coloration helps them blend in amongst rocks.
Alaskan marmots possess a short neck, broad and short head, small ears, short powerful legs and feet, bushy and densely furred tail, and a thick body covered in coarse hair. Adult Alaska marmots' fur on their nose and the dorsal part of their head are usually of a dark color. Their feet may be light or dark in color. M. broweri have tough claws adapted for digging, however the thumbs of their front limbs do not have these claws but flat nails instead. Their body size is highly variable due to hibernation cycles. For males, the average total length is 61 centimetres (24 in) and the average weight is 3.6 kilograms (7.9 lb). Adult females are slightly smaller, having an average length of 58 centimetres (23 in) and 3.2 kilograms (7.1 lb).
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