212.

Bamenda Forest Shrew

Sylvisorex silvanorum

French: Pachyure de Bamenda / German: Bamenda-\ Waldmoschusspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de bosque de Bamenda

Other common names: Bamenda Pygmy Shrew

Taxonomy. Sylvisorex silvanorum Hutterer, Riegert & Sedlacek, 2009, “ near Lake Bambili, Mt. Lefo, Bafut Ngemba F. R. (5° 55’ N, 10° 14’ E), 1800-1900 m a.s.l., Bamenda Highlands, North West Province, Cameroon.”

Sylvisorex silvanorum was only recently described, and its relationships in Sylvisorex are uncertain. Another species of Sylvisorex from the Bamenda Highlands possibly awaits description that is currently recog-

nized as a population of S. isabellae, which might be related to S. silvanorum . Monotypic.

Distribution. Bamenda Highlands of SW Cameroon.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 52 mm, tail 44 mm, ear 5 mm, hindfoot 11-5 mm (holotype). No specific data are available for body weight. The Bamenda Forest Shrew is very small. Dorsum is dark brown, and venter is somewhat paler brown near its middle but dark brown elsewhere. Tail is ¢.85% of head-body length and uniformly dark brown, with no long bristle hairs. Skull is short and has rounded braincase, short slender rostrum, relatively broad interorbital constriction, narrow infraorbital bridge, and large lachrymal foramen. I' are small with sharp anterior tips and well-developed talon. There are four unicuspids: first is largest, second and third are one-half the size offirst, and fourth is one-quarter the size of the first. M? is relatively large.

Habitat. Montane forest and grasslands surrounding streams and lakes at elevations of 1800-2400 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Bamenda Forest Shrew has a very restricted distribution in a remote region and might be found in Bafut-Ngemba Forest Reserve. It is only known from a few specimens and might have a more extensive distribution. Additional research is needed.

Bibliography. Engelbrektsson (2016c), Hutterer et al. (2009).