Crocidura nana, Dobson, 1890

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 : 509

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6870843

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6870293

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54-A059-8735-FF0E-A0FE147EFA69

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Crocidura nana
status

 

319. View Plate 22: Soricidae

Somali Dwarf White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura nana View in CoL

French: Crocidure naine / German: Kleine Somalia-WeiRRzahnspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana enana de Somalia

Other common names: Dwarf \White-toothed Shrew, Somali Dwarf Shrew

Taxonomy. Crocidura nana Dobson, 1890 View in CoL ,

Dollo , Somalia.

The name C. nana has been variously applied to small shrews throughout Somalia, Ethiopia, and Egypt, which has led to the proposal that it is a synonym of C. religiosa . But upon further examination, the holotype of C. nana appears to represent ajuvenile of a species larger than C. religiosa and this was supported by comparison between better-preserved specimens of C. nana and the neotype of C. religiosa . However, the relationship between C. nana and other species of Crocidurais currently uncertain and warrants further investigation. Monotypic.

Distribution. Recorded from only two localities in Dollo, SW Somalia and near Addis Ababa, C Ethiopia. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 40 mm, tail 30 mm, hindfoot 8-5 mm (data from a dried preserved specimen). No specific data are available for body weight. The Somali Dwarf White-toothed Shrew is a very small shrew with short hair. Dorsal pelage is slaty brown, and ventral pelage is grayish white. Feet are white dorsally. Tail is relatively long (c.75% of head-body length), finely haired, covered in longer whitish bristle hairs throughout, and bicolored, being dull brown dorsally and whitish ventrally. Skull is very small with a noticeably flattened braincase; maxillary region of the skull is rather narrow and teeth are very small; third unicuspid is a little broader than the second; the talonid on M,is reduced to a single cusp. There are three unicuspids.

Habitat. Recorded from dry grassland and scrub and is probably primarily found in lowland habitats.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Somali Dwarf White-toothed Shrews are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Somali Dwarf White-toothed Shrew is only known from a few specimens and virtually nothing is known of the species; there do not seem to be any identified threats to the species. It may have a more extensive distribution then is currently known; further sampling is needed.

Bibliography. Churchfield & Jenkins (2013e), Heim de Balsac & Meester (1977), Hutterer (1981a), Hutterer & Howell (2008b).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Soricomorpha

Family

Soricidae

Genus

Crocidura

Loc

Crocidura nana

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson 2018
2018
Loc

Crocidura nana

Dobson 1890
1890
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