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lemming

Tribe of animals of the family Cricetidae

Species / taxontaxonQ234150

Also known as Lemmini · Lemming Rat

Scientific name: Lemmini
Rank: tribe
Parent taxon: Arvicolinae

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

A lemming is a small rodent, usually found in or near the Arctic in tundra biomes. Lemmings form the subfamily Arvicolinae together with voles and muskrats, which form part of the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils. They play an important role in the Arctic ecosystem, acting as grazers of mosses and grasses and as the primary prey (food) source for most Arctic carnivores. A longstanding myth claims that they exhibit herd mentality and jump off cliffs, committing mass suicide.

Overview

All data

38 statements · 21% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Different from: Q48840746
Homonymous taxon: Lemmini
Main food source: moss
Poaceae
berry
leaf
shoot
root
bulb
lichen
Temporal range start: Pliocene

Data quality

statements

21%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 18, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). lemming (Q234150). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/lemming-Q234150