Sorex vagrans obscuroides new subspecies
Type.—First year female, skin and skull; No. 30064/42074, U. S. Biol. Surv. Coll.; obtained on August 9, 1891, by Frank Stephens from Bishop Creek, 6600 ft., Inyo Co., California, original no. 811.
Range.—The Sierra Nevada of California, north at least to El Dorado County, intergrading northerly with S. v. vagrans.
Diagnosis.—Size medium for the species; average and extreme measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 107 (103-112); tail, 47 (45-50); hind foot, 12.8 (12-13.5). Skull relatively broad interorbitally; color of dorsum in summer pelage nearest (17´´´k) Olive Brown.
Comparisons.—Differs from S. v. vagrans, with which it intergrades to the north, in: longer tail and total length; skull larger and relatively broader interorbitally; color in summer grayer (less reddish), the lighter subterminal color bands of the hair often showing through the darker tips and imparting a grizzled appearance to the dorsum. Differs from S. v. parvidens to the south in: skull relatively broader interorbitally and less flattened; teeth slightly larger.
Remarks.—S. v. obscuroides has long been called S. v. obscurus. In fact, obscuroides is separated from the range of obscurus by the intervening, smaller subspecies S. v. vagrans. S. v. obscuroides resembles S. v. obscurus in color and size but the skull is smaller, although relatively slightly broader. The resemblance in color is possibly due to the fact that obscuroides, like obscurus, is a high mountain form. S. v. obscuroides intergrades with S. v. vagrans along the crest of the Sierra between Yosemite National Park and Lassen Peak and on the eastern slope of the Sierra from approximately Mammoth northward. Specimens from Donner are intergrades but are closest to S. v. vagrans. Although all specimens from Lassen Peak are referable to S. v. vagrans, some show cranial characters of obscuroides.
Specimens examined.—Total number, 76. California: Mono Co.: Mt. Dana, 6 BS; Mt. Lyell, 11 BS. Mariposa Co.: Tuolumne Meadows, Muir Meadow, 9300 ft., 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Mt. Unicorn, 1 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, N base Mt. Lyell, 8 BS; Tuolumne Meadows, Soda Springs, 4 BS; Lake Tenaya, 5 BS. Madera Co.: San Joaquin River, 8000 ft., 4 BS. Fresno Co.: Horse Corral Meadows, 3 BS. Mono Co.: head of Owens River near Mammoth, 2 BS. Inyo Co.: Bishop Creek, 5 BS; Round Valley, 1 BS. Tulare Co.: E. Fork Kaweah River, 7 BS; Mt. Whitney, 5 BS; Whitney Creek, Mt. Whitney, 4 ChM; Whitney Meadows, 9700 ft., 1 BS; Mineralking, 2 BS; N. Fork Kern River, 9600 ft., 1 BS; S. Fork Kern River, 4 BS; Kern Lakes, 1 BS.
Marginal records.—California: Pyramid Peak; near Mammoth; Round Valley; Bishop Creek; Mt. Whitney; Kern Lakes; Halstead Meadows; Horse Corral Meadows; east fork Indian Canyon (Jackson, 1928:121).
Sorex vagrans parvidens Jackson
Sorex obscurus parvidens Jackson, Jour. Mamm., 2:161, August 19, 1921.