Episoriculus umbrinus (G. S. Miller, 1923)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Soricidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 332-551 : 451

159.

Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew

Episoriculus umbrinus

French: Musaraigne ombrée / German: Saluen-Braunzahnspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de dientes marrones ocultadiza

Taxonomy. Soriculus caudatus umbrinus G. M. Allen, 1923 ,

“Mu-cheng, Yunnan Province, China, Salween River drainage, 7000 feet [= 2132 m].”

Episoriculus umbrinus was included in E. caudatus as a subspecies. It was elevated to a distinct species because all other synonyms and subspecies were elevated to full species based on distinct karyotypes. Species boundary is not entirely clear, and there is no known diagnostic characteristic. Monotypic.

Distribution. SW China (SE Tibet [= Xizang] and Yunnan), NE India, N Myanmar, and extreme N Vietnam.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 44-74 mm, tail 42-58 mm, hindfoot 10-14 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Condylo-incisive lengths are 16-8-18-5 mm. Entire body of the Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew is covered with uniform dark brown hair. Tail length is similar to head-body length. Dorsum is seal-brown, and venter is only slightly paler than dorsum. Skull is very dome-shaped and high. Rostrum is short. Tympanic ring is small. Coronoid process of ascending ramus is high and broad. Apex of upper incisoris short and projects anteriorly, and talon (posterior cusp) is low and lower than first unicuspid. Tips of teeth are pigmented light brown or red. There are four upper unicuspids.

Habitat. Broad-leaved evergreen, rhododendron, and conifer forest at elevations of 1800-3500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew is insectivorous. Captive individuals eat raw meat and insects (rarely oatmeal) and drink water frequently.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Most Hidden Brown-toothed Shrews were trapped at night. They run on the ground. Captive individuals do not climb.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. The Hidden Browntoothed Shrew was previously considered part of Hodgson’s Brown-toothed Shrew ( E. caudatus ) that is classified as Least Concern. The Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew is common, and overall population seems large, considering large number of specimens in museums and high rates of trapping in the field.

Bibliography. Allen (1923), Hoffmann (1985), Motokawa & Lin Liangkong (2005), Motokawa et al. (2009).

Figures

136. Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina hulophaga), 137. Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicaudus), 138. Southern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina carolinensis), 139. Everglades Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina peninsulae), 140. Sherman’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina shermani), 141. Sichuan Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella quadraticauda), 142. Burmese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella wardi), 143. Indochinese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella griselda), 144. Chinese Mole Shrew (Anourosorex squamaipes), 145. Taiwanese Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex yamashinai), 146. Assam Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex assamensis), 147. Giant Mole Shrew (Anourosorex schmid), 148. Desert Gray Shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi), 149. Cockrum’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex cockrumi), 150. Large-eared Gray Shrew (Notiosorex evolis), 151. Villa’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex villa), 152. Mexican Shrew (Megasorex gigas), 153. Taiwanese Brown-toothed (Shrew Epusoriculusfumidus), 154. Arboreal Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus macrurus), 155. Bailey's Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus baileyi), 156. Long-tailed Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus leucops), 157. Hodgson’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus caudatus), 158. Sichuan Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus sacratus), 159. Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus umbrinus), 160. Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus soluensis), 161. Himalayan Shrew (Soriculus nigrescens), 162. De Winton’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hypsibia), 163. Pygmy Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parva), 164. Smith’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa smithii), 165. Salenski’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa salenskii), 166. Dusky Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa furva), 167. Lesser Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa sodalis), 168. Van Sung’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa caovansunga), 169. Hoffmann’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hoffmanni), 170. Lowe’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parca), 171. Bornean Water Shrew (Chimarrogale phaeura), 172. Sumatran Water Shrew (Chimarrogale sumatrana), 173. Malayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale hantu), 174. Chinese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale styani), 175. Himalayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale himalayica), 176. Leander’s Water Shrew (Chimarrogale leander), 177. Japanese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale platycephala), 178. Elegant Water Shrew (Nectogale elegans), 179. Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys anomalus), 180. Transcaucasian Water (Shrew Neomysteres), 181. Eurasian Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens)

Distribution. SW China (SE Tibet [= Xizang] and Yunnan), NE India, N Myanmar, and extreme N Vietnam.