Small Taiwan shrew
| Small Taiwan shrew | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Chodsigoa sodalis | ||||||||||||
| ( Thomas , 1913) |
The small Taiwan shrew ( Chodsigoa sodalis ) is a species of shrew from the genus Chodsigoa . It is endemic to the high altitudes of the island of Taiwan and is known only from a few definitely identified individuals.
features
With a head-torso length of 6.5 to 7.1 centimeters and a weight of about 4.2 to 5.6 grams, the small Taiwan shrew is one of the small to medium-sized shrew species. The tail reaches a length of 64 to 73 millimeters and is therefore just as long as the body, the rear foot from 13 to 15 millimeters. The body of the species is slender and covered with a long fur made of hairs 4 to 5 millimeters in length. The back color is uniformly dark gray-brown and it merges into the darker belly color on the flanks. The tail is colored dark olive-brown both above and below. The feet are comparatively large and covered with short, white hair.
| 1 | · | 3 | · | 1 | · | 3 | = 28 |
| 1 | · | 1 | · | 1 | · | 3 |
Like all species of the genus has the type in the maxilla per half an incisor (incisor) and then three unicuspid teeth, a Vorbackenzahn (premolar) and three molars (molar). In the lower jaw, however, it has a single canine behind the incisor. In total, the animals have a set of 28 teeth. The tooth roots are colored red as in most red-toothed shrews.
distribution
The small Taiwan shrew is endemic to the high altitudes of the island of Taiwan . The altitude distribution is probably 1560 to 2438 meters,
Way of life
As with all species of the genus, very little data is available on the way of life of this species, so far only five individuals have been identified with certainty. Like all shrews, these species also feed on invertebrates. The habitat is probably limited to the deciduous and mixed forests of the high elevations.
In parts of the habitat the species lives sympatric with Episoriculus fumidus , which occurs in many more habitats and at altitudes up to 3200 meters.
Systematics
The small Taiwan shrew is classified as a separate species within the genus Chodsigoa , which consists of eight species. The first scientific description comes from Thomas from 1913, who described an individual from central Taiwan. The species has long been regarded as a synonym for the shrew Episoriculus fumidus , which also lives in Taiwan , but was again accepted as a separate species in the 1990s, partly due to its genome .
Apart from the nominate form Chodsigoa sodalis sodalis, no further subspecies are distinguished within the species .
Threat and protection
The Small Taiwan Shrew is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as “data deficient” and not classified in a hazard category due to the limited amount of data on population size and ecological requirements. So far only five individuals of the species have been scientifically identified with certainty. Specific threats to the species are not known due to the lack of knowledge of biology and ecological requirements, but the loss of habitat through logging could be the main threat.
literature
- Robert S. Hoffmann, Darrin Lunde: Lesser Taiwanese Shrew. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 309.
Web links
- Chodsigoa sodalis inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e Robert S. Hoffmann, Darrin Lunde: Lesser Taiwanese Shrew. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 309.
- ↑ a b c d e Chodsigoa sodalis in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2013.1. Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
- ↑ a b c d Chodsigoa sodalis . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .