The land mammal fauna of southeast Alaska

Abstract

Poorly documented distributions for most mammal species in southeast Alaska have long hampered studies of this highly diverse and insular fauna.New information based on 4280 specimens in the University of Alaska Museum and a review of other large collections is reported for 54 species of land mammals that occur or have recently occurred in Southeast Alaska.Based on the presence of endemic taxa or unique combinations of taxa, five subregions can be identified.Patterns of species richness and endemism are similar to other archipelagos.The origin of this fauna has been complex and includes species with Beringian and/or southern refugia affinities.Fossil mammals recovered from Prince of Wales Island and the large number of endemics suggest a coastal corridor along the continental shelf that allowed the movement of a number of mammals into southeast Alaska prior to the Fraser glacial advance.