Shrews of southern Africa

Some 4 genera and 17 species are found in southern Africa at present.
These are:

Myosorex Forest Shrews
4 spp (features: colour, tail length, size, palates)

  • tails lack long bristles
  • teeth have extra tiny premolar (I3/2 C1/2 P2/1 M3/3 = 32

Sunchus Dwarf Shrews
3 spp (features: measurements - CI and toothrow)

  • very small (<70 mm HT)
  • tail with long hairs sparse among short bristles
  • associated with termitaria

Crocidura Musk Shrews
9 spp (CI and colour) - these overlap in ranges - up to 4 in some areas - and need microscopic work to sort out some species

  • 4th upper unicuspid absent

Sylvisorex Climbing Shrews = within Sunchus on iNaturalist.
1 sp Zim-Moz

  • no long hairs on tail
  • tail long (as long as body)
  • primitive teeth features (P3 and I)
Posted on 03 October, 2022 09:40 by tonyrebelo tonyrebelo

Comments

Add a Comment

Sign In or Sign Up to add comments