This lemming lives in the Arctic tundra of Wrangel Island. Its summer back is gray, and in adults the dark dorsal stripe is visible mainly at the rump.
The summer back is ash gray, the crown dark gray, and the cheeks light gray. In adults, the black dorsal stripe is conspicuous only over the rump, while the pale collar is weak.
The 1984 species account places it in Wrangel Island’s Arctic tundra and reports its highest abundance in dry willow-herb tundra. It also says its winter food stores are larger than those of the mainland collared lemming.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.