Cryptotis nelsoni (Merriam, 1895)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6870843 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6869770 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54-A009-8765-FFFB-A94D1035F57E |
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Felipe |
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scientific name |
Cryptotis nelsoni |
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87 View On .
Nelson’s Small-eared Shrew
French: Musaraigne de Nelson / German: Nelson-Kleinohrspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de orejas pequenas de Nelson
Other common names: Nelson's Shrew
Taxonomy. Blarina nelsoni Merriam, 1895 ,
“ Volcano of Tuxtla , Vera Cruz, Mexico (altitude, 4,800 feet [= 1219 m]).” Restricted by L. N. Carraway in 2007 to “latitude 18-55°N, longitude 95-22°W.” GoogleMaps
Cryptotis nelsoni was included in C. mexicanusbyJ. R. Choate in 1970 and E. R. Hall in 1981 but was recognized as a distinct species by N. Woodman and R. M. Timm in 2000. Cryptotis nelsoni is included in the C. mexicanus group along with C. magnus,
C. mexicanus, C. obscurus , and C. phillipsii . L.. Guevara and F. A. Cervantes in 2014 found that C. nelsoni wassister to a clade including C. mexicanus and C. obscurus , with C. phillipsii and C. magnus being sister to a clade containing C. nelsoni , C. mexicanus, and C. obscurus . Monotypic.
Distribution. Volcan San Martin, Veracruz (EC Mexico). View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head—body 72-79 mm, tail 22-33 mm, ear 2-3 mm, hindfoot 12-14 mm; weight 3-8 g. Ear length is not included for species of Cryptotis because of the ambiguity of measurements taken for only a few species, where some authors reference them as “0 mm.” Most species of Cryptotis have ear lengths of 4-8 mm, usually averaging c¢.6 mm, but ears are not easily measured or seen because they are barely visible under fur (sometimes ears are visible when looking directly at the front of the face), hence the common name “small-eared shrew.” Nelson’s Small-eared Shrew is medium-sized, similar to the Small Mexican Small-eared Shrew ( Cryptotis mexicanus) but slightly darker. Dorsum is sooty brown, and venteris slightly paler. Feet are short and lighter than dorsum; ears are hidden under fur. Tail is short (28-44% of headbody length), well furred, and sooty brown. Skull is larger and heavier than that of the Small Mexican Small-eared Shrew, with larger and flatter braincase and broader interpterygoid fossa. Teeth are reddish, and there are four unicuspids. Dental formula for all members ofthis genusis13/1,C1/1,P 2/1, M 3/3 (x2) = 30.
Habitat. Evergreen tropical rainforests on slopes of Volcan San Martin at elevations of 1460-1525 m (possibly 1000-2550 m). Soil in the area consists largely of soot and ash, and forest floor consists of leaflitter and seedlings, being dominated by Astrocaryum mexicanum ( Arecaceae ). Forests mostly contain figs ( Ficus tecolutensis, Moraceae ), laurel ( Nectandra ambigens, Lauraceae ), elm ( Ulmus mexicana , Ulmaceae ), and cork ( Omphalea oleifera, Euphorbiaceae ).
Food and Feeding. Nelson's Small-eared Shrew is insectivorous.
Breeding. No information.
Activity patterns. No information.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red Last. Nelson’s Small-eared Shrew has a very restricted and endemic distribution and had been unrecorded since the original twelve specimens were collected in 1894 by E. W. Nelson and E. A. Goldman. Cervantes and Guevara relocated it nearits type locality 109 years later in 2003. Nelson’s Small-eared Shrew is threatened by logging, cattle grazing, induced fires, and agricultural development. About 90% of the type locality has been deforested, and current annual rate of deforestation is 6-2%. Virtually nothing is known about Nelson’s Small-eared Shrew, and additional research is needed.
Bibliography. Baird et al. (2018), Carraway (2007), Ceballos & Arroyo-Cabrales (2014a), Cervantes & Guevara (2010), Choate (1970), Guevara & Cervantes (2014), Hall (1981), Hutterer (2005b), Woodman (2005), VWoodman & Timm (1999, 2000), Woodman etal. (2010).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
