176.

Leander’s Water Shrew

Chimarrogale leander

French: Chimarrogale de Taiwan / German: Taiwan-Wasserspitzmaus / Spanish: Musgano de Taiwan

Other common names: Taiwanese Water Shrew

Taxonomy. Chimarrogale leander Thomas, 1902,

“ Kuatun [= Guadun], N.W. Fokien [= Fujian Province, China]. Altitude 1200 m.”

Chimarrogale leander used to be considered a synonym of C. himalayica but is now considered a distinct species based on molecular evidence. Distributional boundary between C. leanderand C. himalayica is stl unclear. Chimarrogale leander is presumably distributed in northern and eastern Chi-

na, leaving C. himalayica in south-western China. Monotypic.

Distribution. C & E China and Taiwan I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-130 mm, tail 81-101 mm, hindfoot 21-26 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Condylo-incisive lengths are 24-7-25-9 mm, and tooth rows are 10-9-11-5 mm. Leander’s Water Shrews on the mainland are overall smaller than those on Taiwan Island. Its external morphology is similar to the Himalayan Water Shrew ( C. himalayica), except pelage is less blackish gray. Tail is bicolored, being black above and white below. Venteris slate-gray. Braincase is flattened and broad. Coronoid process of mandible is slenderer than in the Himalayan Water Shrew. Leander’s Water Shrew has three upper unicuspids. I' has long and robust apex and low talon (posterior cusp) that is much lower than first upper unicuspid. Cusps of teeth are unpigmented.

Habitat. Clean streams with fine vegetation coverage on banks. Leander’s Water Shrew is sensitive to pollution. In Taiwan, its distribution is limited to northern and central mountains at elevations of 300-2200 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet of Leander’s Water Shrew probably contains invertebrates including crabs, shrimp, larval and adult insects, tadpoles, earthworms, and fish. Stomach contents from one individual contained remains of Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Araneae but not fish or amphibians.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Leander’s Water Shrews is semi-aquatic and is adapted to swim and dive based on captive observations. It is active day and night.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Leander’s Water Shrew is considered a protected species in Taiwan, and most ofits habitat area has been well protected. Its status on the mainland is largely unknown.

Bibliography. Hoffmann (1987), Thomas (1902a), Yuan Shouli et al. (2013).