NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Heather Vole
Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, 1889
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The western heather vole (Phenacomys intermedius) is a small vole found in western North America. Until recently, the eastern heather vole (P. ungava) was considered to be a subspecies. They have short ears with stiff orange hair inside and a short thin tail which is paler underneath. Their long soft fur is brownish with silver grey underparts. They are roughly 14 cm (5.5 in) long with a tail length shorter than one-half their body length, approximately 50 mm (2.0 in). They weigh about 40 g (1.4 oz).
Wikipedia contributors, Western heather vole; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T02:19:50.597345+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, 1889
- Name authority
- Merriam, 1889
- Common name
- Heather Vole
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Cricetidae
- Genus
- Phenacomys
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
- suborderMyomorpha Brandt, 1855
- superfamilyMuroidea Illiger, 1811
- familyCricetidae Fischer, 1817
- subfamilyArvicolinae Gray, 1821
- genusPhenacomys Merriam, 1889
- speciesPhenacomys intermedius Merriam, 1889
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Phenacomys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Heather VolePhenacomys ungava Merriam, 1889 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Phenacomys constablei J. A. Allen, 1899 J. A. Allen, 1899 | synonym |
| Phenacomys olympicus Elliot, 1899 Elliot, 1899 | synonym |
| Phenacomys preblei Merriam, 1897 Merriam, 1897 | synonym |
| Phenacomys intermedius celsus A. B. Howell, 1923 A. B. Howell, 1923 | synonym |
| Phenacomys intermedius laingi Anderson, 1942 Anderson, 1942 | synonym |
| Phenacomys intermedius levis A. B. Howell, 1923 A. B. Howell, 1923 | synonym |
| Microtus pumilus Elliot, 1899 Elliot, 1899 | synonym |
| Phenacomys oramontis Rhoads, 1895 Rhoads, 1895 | synonym |
| Phenacomys orophilus Merriam, 1891 Merriam, 1891 | synonym |
| Phenacomys truei J. A. Allen, 1894 J. A. Allen, 1894 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180359 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4G2MX. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.