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- ITSES - |
Eurasian Insectivores and Tree Shrews:
Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan
Published 1995
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2.3.2 Family Soricidae: The Shrews
The Family Soricidae consists of 23 genera and about 314 species, including 12 genera and 126 species in Eurasia (Hutterer, 1993) (Table 2.2). This is an ancient family, diverging from other insectivores before the Eocene period, with modern genera first appearing in the Miocene. Originating in Eurasia, the soricids later migrated to Africa and North America. One genus (Cryptotis) has even reached South America.
Shrews are the smallest of the insectivores: one species, Suncus etruscus of southern Europe and Asia, is one of the smallest known mammals. All have short legs, five clawed toes, a relatively long tail (in most genera), short dense fur, small external ears and an elongated snout. The eyes are small. All are insectivorous or carnivorous, living on the ground in leaf litter and grass. Shrews are voracious animals with little resistance to starvation. As a result, most are active for short periods of time throughout the day and night. Some species may even undergo torpor when local environmental conditions (notably climate and food shortages) are unfavourable.
The Soricidae are divided into two sub-families: the Crocidurinae (white-toothed shrews) and the Soricinae (red-toothed shrews) (see Tables 2.3 and 2.4 for further taxonomic details). Red-toothed shrews are so called because their teeth have a reddish appearance on account of a deposition of iron in the outer layer of enamel (Dötsch and Koenigswald, 1978), which may increase resistance to wear.
Despite considerable attention, the taxonomic status of the Soricidae is still unclear, particularly for some genera. Modern techniques, however, have helped clarify a number of dubious relationships. Yet, as the following accounts demonstrate, there is still a need for considerable research, both at the taxonomic and ecological levels. For many species no details of their ecological requirements are available, many being known only from a single location and few records.
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Soricinae |
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Sub-family Crocidurinae
GENUS CROCIDURA -
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The genus Crocidura ('white-toothed shrews') is a widespread and highly variable Old World genus, which is found in many African countries, much of continental Europe and parts of south-eastern Asia. This genus comprises 151 species (55 of which are represented in Eurasia), which are distinguished from other shrews (sub-family Soricinae) by their unpigmented teeth, the presence of three upper unicuspids, long scattered hairs on the tail, and more prominent ears than in either the Sorex or Neomys genera.
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Diplomesodon Feroculus Solisorex Suncus |
D. pulchellum F. feroculus S. pearsoni S. ater |
Crocidura aleksandrisi - Return to Top of Page | Table of contents
Taxonomy: Crocidura aleksandrisi Vesmanis 1977.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: This species is restricted to Cyrenaica, Libya.
Ecology and behaviour: Although little is known about the ecology of this species, there is no indication that it is threatened (Hutterer, pers. comm.).
Crocidura andamanensis -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura andamanensis Miller 1902. This species has been described on the basis of a single individual.
IUCN Category of Threat: Endangered (BI and 2c).
Distribution: This species has only been recorded from South Andaman Island, Indian Ocean.
Crocidura arabica -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura arabica Hutterer and Harrison 1988. Previously assigned to C. russula or C. suaveolens (Hutterer, 1993).
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: This species is known only from the Greyshrew coastal plains of the South Arabian Peninsula, specifically Yemen and Oman.
Crocidura armenica -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura armenica Gureev 1963. Considered conspecific with C. pergrisea by Corbet (1978), but see Dolgov and Yudin (1975) and Gromov and Baranova (1981).
IUCN Category of Threat: Data Deficient.
Distribution: C. armenica has been recorded from Armenia, Caucasus.
Grey shrew (Crocidura attenuata)
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Taxonomy: Crocidura attenuata Milne-Edwards 1872. Inclusion of C. aequicaudata as a subspecies may not be justified (Hutterer, 1993).
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Description: In appearance, the grey shrew is a uniform light brownish-grey above, a paler grey below and faintly tinged with brown on the underside. The tail is dark brown above, light below. The backs of the feet are thinly covered with short pale hairs (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977).
Distribution: This species has been recorded in southern China from Sichuan, Hubei and Jiangsu south to Myanmar and Malaysia (Davison, 1984) and the Himalayas west to Kashmir and Pakistan; Thailand (McNeely, pers. comm.); Taiwan and Hainan, as well as Batan Island, the Philippines. It may also occur on Sumatra (Jenkins, 1982) and was perhaps formerly present on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean (trichura).
Habitat: Thai specimens have been recorded from seedling rice fields and in cut-down forest-farmlands of weeds and grass (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977).
Crocidura beatus -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura beatus Miller 1910. Includes parvacauda (Heaney et al., 1987).
IUCN Category of Threat: Vulnerable (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: Crocidura beatus has been recorded from the islands of Mindanao, Leyte and Maripipi, the Philippines.
Habitat: This species is common in primary forest, uncommon in secondary forest and absent outside of forest (Heaney et al., 1987). It may be endangered by habitat change.
Crocidura beccarii -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura beccarii Dobson 1886.
IUCN Category of Threat: Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: This species has only been recorded from Mt Singgalang, West Sumatra.
Crocidura canariensis -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura canariensis Hutterer, Lopez-Jurado and Vogel 1987.
IUCN Category of Threat: Vulnerable (Bl and 2c). Protected by Spanish law.
Description: This species may be separated from the other endemic shrew C. osorio by its larger size and the uniformly chocolate brown undersurface of the former.
Distribution: This species has been described from the east Canary islands - Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Lobos.
Habitat: The main habitat for this species is the malpais (barren lava fields); C. canariensis appears to be adapted to the hot and dry conditions of these plains (Hutterer et al., 1992).
Ecology and behaviour: Little is known about the behaviour of this species in the wild. Hutterer et al., (1992) describe it as being a "shy animal which will always hide under shelter." Limited reproductive data are given in Hutterer et al., (loc. cit.). It is of interest to note that this species, together with the endemic C. osorio have very low litter sizes, compared to mainland species. According to Genoud (1988) a small litter size may be part of a strategy for living under warm and/or unpredictable conditions, which includes a lower rate of body metabolism. Volcanic islands, such as the Canary Islands, represent such unpredictable environments. This species, together with C. osorio, represents two thirds of the extant native Canarian mammalian fauna the other species being a bat, Plecotus teneriffae (Ibanez and Fernandez, 1985). As such, they are a major part of the country's natural heritage and therefore worthy of special protection. Greater emphasis should therefore be given to determining the ecological needs and conservation requirements of these species. Both C. osorio and C. canariensis are now protected by Spanish law (Hutterer, 1993).
Crocidura dhofarensis -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura dhofarensis Hutterer and Harrison 1988. Considered a subspecies of C. somalica.
IUCN Category of Threat: Critically Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: Known only from the type locality, Oman, Dhofar, Khadrafi (Hutterer and Harrison, 1988).
Japanese white-toothed shrew (Crocidura
dsinezumi) - Return to Top
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Taxonomy: Crocidura dsinezumi Temminck 1844.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Description: Head and body length is usually 65-80mm; tail length is usually less than 70% of head and body length. Colour of pelage is variable; during the winter, the dorsal colour ranges from pale grey to brown, while summer coloration is usually dark brown. These shrews are usually a lighter colour on the underside.
Distribution: This species is found in Japan, especially Honshu and the islands of Kyushu, Shikoku, Yakushima, Tanegashima, Oki and Okinoshima. It has also been reported from Quelpart Island, South Korea and may occur on Taiwan (Hutterer, 1993).
Habitat: This species is most abundant along river banks and in the foothills with dense vegetation (Abe, pers. comm.).
Ecology and behaviour: Apart from its diet - insects and spiders - little is known about the behaviour of this species in the wild.
Crocidura elongata -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura elongata Miller and Hollister 1921.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: This species has only been recorded from North and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Habitat: Lowland and montane forest.
Ecology and behaviour: This species is thought to be primarily nocturnal. No other details are available on its behaviour or ecology.
Flower's shrew (Crocidura floweri)
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Taxonomy: Crocidura floweri Dollman 1915.
IUCN Category of Threat: Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: This species is only known from El Giza and the Nile Delta, Egypt.
Crocidura fuliginosa -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura fuliginosa Blyth 1855. At least 19 subspecies are mentioned in the literature: including C.f baluensis which may be a separate species (Payne et al., 1985); but see Hutterer (1993).
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Description: C. fuliginosa has dark grey to blackish fur with a dull silvery gloss. Underparts are a lighter colour. The tail is thin with a few faint white hairs. The basal portion of the tail is thickest during the breeding season (Blanford, 1888). Ears are naked and prominent. Eyes are small. The feet are covered with a few short white hairs (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977).
Distribution: This widely dispersed species has been recorded from China to Malaya; it may also occur on Sumatra and Java (Indonesia), Borneo; adjacent small islands of Hong Kong, Con Son (Vietnam); Samui (Thailand); Great Redang, Tioman, Aor, Dayang Bunting (Malaya); Mapor (Riau Island) and Panjang (South Natuna Island). Ruedi (1994), however, suggests that C. fuliginosa is purely a continental species which enters only marginally into the south-east Asian archipelago.
Habitat: Found in various habitats from montane to lowland forest, cultivated areas and even caves (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977).
Crocidura gmelini -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura gmelini Pallas 1811. The name has traditionally been considered a synonym of Sorex minutus, but Hoffmann (in press) has shown that it is applicable to a distinct species of Crocidura that inhabits steppe and semi-desert from Central Iran to Central China, and which had previously been considered conspecific with C. suaveolens.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: Central Iran to Central China.
Habitat: Steppe and semi-desert conditions.
Crocidura grandis
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Taxonomy: Crocidura grandis Miller 1911.
IUCN Category of Threat: Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: The only records for this species are from Mt Malindang, Mindanao, the Philippines.
Habitat: Probably confined to primary forest (Heaney et al., 1987).
Ecology and behaviour: No information available.
Crocidura grayi
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Taxonomy: Crocidura grayi Dobson 1890. Includes C. halconus Heaney et al., 1987.
IUCN Category of Threat: Vulnerable (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: This species occurs only on Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines.
The rare Crocidura grayi is only known from the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, the Philippines. (Photo by Andres L. Dans)
Crocidura gueldenstaedtii
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Taxonomy: Crocidura gueldenstaedti Pallas 1811. This form was previously included in the European C. russula by Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (1951) but is now generally agreed to be a distinct species. However, it is likely that some or all of these forms are conspecific with C. suaveolens Pallas (Catzefiis et al., 1985; Hutterer, 1993).
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: The distribution of this species is somewhat unclear because of remaining taxonomic uncertainties. Its apparent range extends from eastern Europe through Central and south-western Asia to China and Taiwan.
Andaman shrew (Crocidura hispida)
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Taxonomy: Crocidura hispida Thomas 1913.
IUCN Category of Threat: Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: This species has only been recorded on the Middle Andaman Island, Indian Ocean.
Habitat: The preferred habitat of this species is unknown.
Horsfield's shrew (Crocidura
horsfieldii) - Return to Top
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Taxonomy: Crocidura horsfieldii Tomes 1856. Two insular subspecies have been described: C. h. wuchihensis from the western slope of Wuchih Mountain, Hainan Island, China and C.h. kurodai (Jameson and Jones, 1977) from Linkou, Taipai Hsein, Taiwan.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Description: C. horsfieldii is a deep neutral grey above with the bottom portion of the hairs brown. Underparts are dark grey. The tail is paler above than beneath, with short scattered silver hairs (Robinson and Kloss, 1922).
Distribution: The exact distribution of this species is poorly known. It is known to occur in Sri Lanka, South India, Kashmir, North Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Hainan, Botel Tobago (south-eastern Taiwan) and the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa, Yoron, lejima, Okinoerabu, Tokunoshima and Amani-Oshima (Corbet, 1992).
Habitat: This species is an intermediate montane form which has been collected from 1220-2120m in areas of fairly heavy cover (Lekagul and McNeely, 1977).
Crocidura jenkinsii -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura jenkinsi Chakraborty 1978. May be a subspecies of C. nicobarica.
IUCN Category of Threat: Critically Endangered (Bl and 2c).
Distribution: This species is only known from the type locality at Wright Myo, South Andaman Island, India.
Ussuri white-toothed shrew (Crocidura
lasiura) - Return to Top of
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Taxonomy: Crocidura lasiura Dobson 1890.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: Confined to the Ussuri region of the former Soviet Union and Manchuria south to northeastern China and Korea.
Crocidura lea -
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Taxonomy: Crocidura lea Miller and Hollister 1921.
IUCN Category of Threat: Lower Risk (subcategory Least Concern).
Distribution: North and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Habitat: Lowland and montane forest.
Ecology and behaviour: This species is believed to be primarily
nocturnal in habit. There are no additional data available at the present
time.