Sorex tenellus, Merriam, 1895
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6870843 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6869694 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54-A03C-8750-FFF6-A2A41A66FC97 |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Sorex tenellus |
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Inyo Shrew
French: Musaraigne d’Inyo / German: Inyo-Spitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de Inyo
Other common names: Great Basin Dwarf Shrew
Taxonomy. Sorex tenellus Merriam, 1895 View in CoL ,
“ summit of Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, Owens Valley [Inyo Co.], Calif[ornia].” USA.
Sorex tenellus is closest to S. nanus , and both are in the S. oreopolus group and subgenus Otisorex. Although S. tenellus and S. nanus are similar and once considered conspecific, they are morphologically distinguishable and distinct based on allozyme frequencies. They seem to have only recently diverged, buttheir specific status needs additional assessment with genetic and morphometric data. Monotypic.
Distribution. Great Basin in EC California and SW Nevada as well as an isolated record from WC Utah (SW USA). View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head—body 48-74 mm,tail 36-48 mm, hindfoot 11-12 mm; weight 3-4 g. The Inyo Shrew is very small and similar to the Dwarf Shrew ( S. nanus ), although it is larger on average with a longertail and slightly lighter pelage. Dorsum is pale gray, with brownish wash, but it is sometimes reddish; venteris silvery gray. Winter pelage is lighter than summer pelage. Feet are pale; ears are rounded and small. Tail is ¢.60-75% of head-body length and bicolored, being pale brown above and paler below, with small blackish tuft at tip. Teeth are pigmented dark red. There are five unicuspids,third is smaller than first, second, and fourth, and fifth is significantly smaller than the rest.
Habitat. Riparian habitats and bottoms of canyons in mountainous regions.
Food and Feeding. Inyo Shrews probably eat small invertebrates including wind-borne insects that are swept up to high elevations by winds, worms, mollusks, and centipedes.
Breeding. No information.
Activity patterns. No information.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although there are no major threats affecting the Inyo Shrew,its distribution is relatively small, andlittle is known ofits ecology. Additional research is needed.
Bibliography. Cassola (2016r), George (1988), Hoffmann & Owen (1980), Rickart, Heaney & Hoffmann (2004), Rickart, Robson et al. (2017), Shohfi et al. (2006), Williams (1984).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
