Soricinae
| Soricinae | ||||||||||||
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Wood shrew ( Sorex araneus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Soricinae | ||||||||||||
| Fischer von Waldheim , 1814 |
The Soricinae , as well as the largest of their genera also known as red- toothed shrews , are a subfamily of the shrews (Soricidae) within the insectivores (Eulipotyphla). The taxon contains about 148 species, which are divided into 14 genera .
features
Like all shrews, the Soricinae are small mammals with a body length of less than 10 centimeters, to which a tail that is usually a maximum of 9 centimeters long is added.
The Soricinae or red-toothed shrews are distinguished from the other subfamilies primarily by the specific structure of the jaws , in which the articular surfaces of the lower jaw are usually far apart, but collide on the lip side (labial) and merge, creating a detached lingual node form. The mental foramen , a bone opening on the outside of the horizontal branch of the lower jaw, lies in front of the anterior root of the M1 molar (while it lies behind this in the Crocidurinae ) and the P4 premolar is specific in its shape. As a rule, the species of the Soricinae are characterized by the red pigment on the tooth roots, which gives the red-toothed shrews their name, but this is missing in the genera Anourosorex , Chimarrogale and Nectogale .
distribution
The Soricinae are mainly found in the northern hemisphere, i.e. Holarctic , and live with almost 150 species in Eurasia , in North and Central America and with a few species in northwestern South America . They are absent in Africa and Australia .
Way of life
The Soricinae correspond in their way of life to the typical shrews. They usually live on the ground either in the litter or in the upper soil layers and feed mainly on invertebrates such as insects, spiders, earthworms or snails. Some species, especially the water shrews ( Neomys ), are adapted to life in streams and on river banks.
Systematics
In addition to the Crocidurinae (also known as white- toothed shrews ) and the Myosoricinae, the red- toothed shrews are one of the three subfamilies of the shrews within the insect-eater. The subfamily was first scientifically described by Johann Fischer von Waldheim in 1814 .
Within the Soricinae about 148 species are distinguished, which are assigned to 14 genera within six tribes . The vast number of species accounted for by the (authentics) Sorex ( Sorex ) with about 80 species and the American small-eared shrew ( cryptotis ) with about 30 species.
The species and genera of the Soricinae are:
- Soricinae
- Anourosoricini tribe
- Stubby-tailed shrews ( Anourosorex ) in East and Southeast Asia
- Blarinellini tribe
- Asiatic short-tailed shrews ( Blarinella )
- Blarinini tribe
- American short-tailed shrews ( Blarina ) with four species in North America
- Small ear shrews ( Cryptotis ) with about 30 species, restricted to America
- Tribe Nectogalini
- Beaver shrews ( Chimarrogale ) with five species in East Asia
- Chodsigoa with eight species mainly living in China
- Crossogale with three Southeast Asian species
- Episoriculus with four kinds in Asia
- Nectogale , monotypical with the mountain shrew ( Nectogale elegans ) in the Himalayan region
- Water shrews ( Neomys ) with three species in Europe and West Asia
- Nesiotites is extinct and lived in a few species on the islands of the Mediterranean
- Soriculus , monotypical with the Sikkim big-clawed shrew ( Soriculus nigrescens ) in the Himalayan region
- Tribus Notiosoricini
- Megasorex , monotypical with the Mexican desert shrew ( Megasorex gigas ) in southwestern Mexico
- Four species gray shrews ( Notiosorex ) in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico
- Tribe Soricini
- (Actual) red-toothed shrews ( Sorex ) with around 80 species, mainly in Eurasia and North America
- Anourosoricini tribe
supporting documents
- ↑ a b Robert S. Hoffmann, Darrin Lunde: Soricinae. 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 , pp. 303-304.
- ↑ a b c Soricinae ( Memento of the original from January 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . 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 .
- ↑ Alexei V. Abramov, Anna Bannikova, Viatcheslav Rozhnov: Revision of Chimarrogale (Lipotyphla: Soricidae) from Vietnam with comments on taxonomy and biogeography of Asiatic water shrews. Zootaxa, Vol 4232, No 2, February 2017, DOI: 10.11646 / zootaxa.4232.2.5
