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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 includes rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils.
The Norway lemming, also known as the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus) is a common species of lemming found in northern Fennoscandia, where it is the only vertebrate species endemic to the region. The Norway lemming dwells in tundra and fells , and prefers to live near water.
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.
The Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. Although generally classified as a "least concern" species, the Novaya Zemlya subspecies (Dicrostonyx torquatus ungulatus) is considered a vulnerable species under Russian nature conservation legislation (included in Red Book of Russian Federation since ...
The northern bog lemming is an omnivorous mammal that primarily feeds on grasses, moss and sedge. Occasionally, they will eat insects, worms, slugs, snails, or fungi. A common habit of these lemmings, which signifies their presence in an area, is that they create surface tunnels under vegetation to travel through and to forage in.
These lemmings are found predominantly in tundra or high elevations. Populations can fluctuate widely and mass migrations do take place. This mass migration is probably the source of the myth that lemmings commit mass suicide. These intense population booms appear to be most common in the northern part of its range (such as Lapland).
Collared lemming lying on ground. The northern collared lemming or Nearctic collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus), sometimes called the Peary Land collared lemming in Canada, is a small lemming found in Arctic North America and Wrangel Island. At one time, it was considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus).
The Canadian lemming was formerly thought to be a subspecies of the Siberian brown lemming (Lemmus sibiricus), but those were split into two distinct species. They were still considered the same species as the Beringian lemming ( Lemmus nigripes ); the combined species was named the North American brown lemming with the scientific name L ...