Sylvisorex lunaris, Thomas, 1906

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 : 467

publication ID

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

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6870028

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54-A060-870C-FAE1-AA9C142FF7F6

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Sylvisorex lunaris
status

 

207. View Plate 19: Soricidae

Moon Forest Shrew

Sylvisorex lunaris View in CoL

French: Pachyure de la Lune / German: Mondberg-Waldmoschusspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de bosque de las Montanas de la Luna

Other common names: Crescent Shrew

Taxonomy. Sylvisorex lunaris Thomas, 1906 View in CoL ,

Mubuku Valley , 12,000 ft. (= 3810 m), Rwenzori East, Uganda.

S. lunaris might represent a species complex of very restricted species, but additional research is needed. Genetic studies have placed it close to S. granti and S. johnstoni . Monotypic.

Distribution. EC DR Congo, SW Uganda, W Rwanda, and W Burundi,as well as Idjwi I in Lake Kivu. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 70-93 mm, tail 45-56 mm, ear 7-10 mm, hindfoot 12-16 mm; weight 9-20 g. The Moon Forest Shrew is medium-sized, with soft and dense pelage and a silky sheen. Dorsum is dark grayish brown to medium brown, and venter is brownish gray and paler than dorsum. Feet are dark brown. Tail is ¢.65% of head-body length, narrow, and blackish brown. There are six mammae. First incisors are moderately long and hooked, third molar is medium in size, and braincase is high-domed. There are four unicuspids. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 58 and FN = 80.

Habitat. Primarily swamps and secondary bush but also grass-bush, elephant-grass, and gallery woodlands at elevations of 1600-1900 m. Moon Forest Shrews have also been recorded from secondary forest, bamboo forests, and montane swamps at elevations of 1900-3300 m, although they are significantly less common in these habitats.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Pregnant Moon Forest Shrews have been recorded in February, March, June, and July, with 2—4 embryos.

Activity patterns. Moon Forest Shrews are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Moon Forest Shrew has a small extent of occurrence (probably less than 20,000 km?), a severely fragmented distribution, and a continuing decline in extent and quality of its habitat in the mountains of the Albertine Rift. It is threatened by deforestation, generally resulting from logging operations, and conversion of land to agricultural and other uses. It is presumably present in several protected areas (e.g. Virunga National Park).

Bibliography. Geider & Kock (1991), Happold & Dieterlen (2013), Hutterer, Van der Straeten & Verheyen (1987), Stanley & Olson (2005).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Soricomorpha

Family

Soricidae

Genus

Sylvisorex

Loc

Sylvisorex lunaris

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

Sylvisorex lunaris

Thomas 1906
1906
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