Myosorex bururiensis, 1838

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Soricidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 332-551 : 550

444.

Bururt Mouse Shrew

Myosorex bururiensis

French: Musaraigne du Bururi / German: Bururi-Mausspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana raton de Bururi

Other common names: Bururi Forest Shrew

Taxonomy. Myosorex bururiensis Kerbis Peterhans & Hutterer, 2010 ,

“ Mumushwizi River Valley (3° 56°207S, 29° 35’49”E) at 1880 m, Bururi Forest Reserve , Bururi Province, Burundi.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Bururi Forest Reserve, Burundi.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 88 mm, tail 26 mm, ear 5 mm, hindfoot 15 mm; weight 14 g (one specimen). The Bururi Mouse Shrew is a medium-sized mouse shrew with thick, woolly pelage. Pelage bicolored all over the body, the hairs being dark slate gray bases with coppery tips. Feet are lighter in color and covered in dark brown hairs. Tail is very short and thick (29-5% of head-body length), and is light brown, with light brown hairs throughout. Skull is large and robust; braincase is broad; maxillary region is wide; unicuspids are very large except for the fourth, which is small; M? is long and wide. There are four unicuspids.

Habitat. Reported from upland primary forest with dense stands of Entandrophragma (Meliaceae) , Parinari (Chrysobalanaceae) , and Symphonia (Clusiaceae) , at elevations of ¢.1880 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 Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Bururi Mouse Shrew has only recently been described, based on a single specimen. The species is probably threatened by the degradation and loss of habitat.

Bibliography. Engelbrektsson (2016d), Kerbis Peterhans et al. (2010).

Figures

424. Aberdare Mole Shrew (Surdisorex norae), 425. Mount Kenya Mole Shrew (Surdisorex polulus), 426. Schlitter’s Mole Shrew (Surdisorex schlitteri), 427. Phillips's Congo Shrew (Congosorex phillipsorum), 428. Greater Congo Shrew (Congosorex polli), 429. Lesser Congo Shrew (Congosorex verheyeni), 430. Meester’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex meester), 431. Dark-footed Mouse Shrew (Myosorex cafer), 432. Sclater’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex sclateri), 433. Thin Mouse Shrew (Mpyosorex tenuis), 434. South African Mouse Shrew (Myosorex varius), 435. Long-tailed Mouse Shrew (Myosorex longicaudatus), 436. Kilimanjaro Mouse Shrew (Myosorex zinki), 437. Geata Mouse Shrew (Myosorex geata), 438. Kihaule’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex kihaulei), 439. Nyika Mouse Shrew (Myosorex gnoskei), 440. Schaller’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex schalleri), 441. Kabogo Mouse Shrew (Myosorex kabogoensis), 442. Babault’ ' s Mouse Shrew (Mpyosorex babaultu), 443. Montane Mouse Shrew (Myosorex blarina), 444. Bururt Mouse Shrew (Myosorex bururiensis), 445. Kahuzi Mouse Shrew (Myosorex jejer), 446. Eisentraut’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex eisentrauti), 447. Rumpi Mouse Shrew (Myosorex rumpii), 448. Oku Mouse Shrew (Myosorex okuensis)

Distribution. Bururi Forest Reserve, Burundi.