Willow ptarmigan complicated changes in plumage several times a year and the differing colour and pattern of the summer plumage: The willow ptarmigan often hybridises with the black grouse ("Tetrao tetrix") and the hazel grouse ("Tetrastes bonasia") and occasionally with the western capercaillie ("Tetrao urogallus"), the spruce grouse ("Falcipennis canadensis") and the rock ptarmigan ("Lagopus muta"). During the Pleistocene, the willow ptarmigan widely occurred in continental Europe. Authors who recognize paleosubspecies have named the Pleistocene willow ptarmigan "L. l. noaillensis" (though the older name "medius" might be the correct one). These marginally different birds are said to have gradually changed from the
Winter white dwarf hamster sungorus sungorus". Today Winter white dwarf hamsters and Campbell's dwarf hamsters are considered separate species with the Winter white officially known as "Phodopus sungorus". The coat of the Winter white hamster is less woolly than that of Campbell's dwarf hamster, and apart from the normal colouring, they can be coloured sapphire, sapphire pearl, or normal pearl. The head length of the Winter white hamster is 70–90 mm, the length of the tail is 5–15 mm, and the hind legs are 11–15 mm. The body weight changes dramatically throughout the year. It is at its lowest during the winter. In males,