Crocidura orii, Kuroda, 1924

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 : 497-498

288.

Greater Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura orii

French: Crocidure d'Orii / German: Grof3e Ryukyu-WeiRzahnspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de Ryukyu mayor

Other common names: Amami Shrew, Orii's Shrew

Taxonomy. Crocidura ori Kuroda, 1924 ,

Komi , Amami Oshima , Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.

Crocidura ori is known from less than a handful of specimens, one of which was ob- tained from the stomach of a snake. It was originally described as an insular subspecies of C. dsinezumi —the most common species on the main islands ofJapan. Although sympatrically distributed with C. watasei in Ryukyu Archipelago, these two have differ-

ent origins. In a comprehensive molecular study by S. Dubey and his co-workers in 2008, C. orii was found in the basal position of a so-called Asian clade that comprised most Asian species of Crocidura and Diplomesodon pulchellus. This indicated that C. ori was a relict species, representing one of the most primary lineages in Asia. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Amami Is, C Ryukyu Is, Japan, including Amami Oshima, Kakeromajima, and Tokunoshima.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 65-90 mm, tail 41-51 mm, hindfoot 14-15 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Condylo-incisive lengths are 20-7-21-9 mm, and tooth rows are 9-1-10 mm. The Greater Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew is mediumsized. It is a special form characterized by many unique morphological features. Dorsal pelage is light seal brown, and hairs on middle of back are 6-6-5 mm long, much longer than on other species of Crocidura (usually shorter than 5 mm). Ventral pelage gradually changes to light gray. Ears, forefeet, hindfoot, and dorsal surface of tail are brown, and their ventral surfaces are paler. Forefeet are large and wide, and claws are long and robust. Longer bristle hair is distributed on first one-half of tail. Tail is 50-66% of head—body length. Cranial profile is straight. Braincase is short, moderately broad, and rounded. Rostrum is narrow and elongated. Mandible is long, and its ascending ramus is high and broad. I' is slender, with small and narrow posterior cusp (talon). There are three oval-shaped upper unicuspids, parastyle and protocone of upper P* are small, and posterior margin is slightly concave. Lowerincisor is long and broad, and lower molars massive.

Habitat. Only captured in broadleaf natural forests from sea level to elevations of c.300 m. The Greater Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew co-occurs with the Lesser Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew ( C. watasei ). External morphology indicates it might be able to use semi-fossorial habitat. Okinawa pit vipers (Ouvophis okinavensis) and introduced mongooses are known predators.

Food and Feeding. Coleopterans were found in stomachs of Greater Ryukyu Whitetoothed Shrews.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Known distribution of the Greater Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew is less than 2500 km? Population is presumably small based roughly on low capture rates, and it might be declining due to reduced natural forests and introduced mongooses.

Bibliography. Correia (2016b), Dubey, Salamin et al. (2008), Imaizumi (1961), Motokawa (1998), Ohdachi et al. (2009).

Figures

266. Phu Quoc White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura phuquocensis), 267. Taiwanese Gray White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura lanakae), 268. Phan Luong White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura phanluong), 269. Sokolov White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura sokolouvi), 270. Cranbrook’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura cranbrooki), 271. Hill's White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura hilliana), 272. Voracious White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura vorax), 273. Sa Pa White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura sapaensis), 274. Annamite White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura annamitensis), 275. Vietnamese White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura guy), 276. Ke Go White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura kegoensis), 277. Andaman Spiny White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura hispida), 278. Andaman White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura andamanensis), 279. Jenkins’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura jenkinsi), 280. Nicobar White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura nicobarica), 281. Christmas Island White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura trichura), 282. Siberian White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura sibirica), 283. Shantung White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura shantungensts), 284. Guldenstadt’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura gueldenstaedtii), 285. Lesser White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura suaveolens), 286. Cyrenaica White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura aleksandrisi), 287. Zarudny’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura zarudnyi), 288. Greater Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura orii), 289. Batak White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura batakorum), 290. Mossy Forest White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura musseri), 291. Temboan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura rhoditis), 292. Lesser Black-footed White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura lea), 293. Sulawesi Tiny White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura levicula), 294. Elongated White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura elongata), 295. North African White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura pachyura), 296. Greater White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula), 297. Serezkaya White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura serezkyensis), 298. Whitaker's White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura whitakeri), 299. Flower’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura floweri), 300. Egyptian Pygmy White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura religiosa), 301. Bicolored White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura leucodon), 302. Saharan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura tarfayensis), 303. Arabian White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura arabica), 304. Dhofar White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura dhofarensis)

Distribution. Endemic to Amami Is, C Ryukyu Is, Japan, including Amami Oshima, Kakeromajima, and Tokunoshima.