Sorex (Otisorex) pribilofensis Merriam 1895

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Soricomorpha, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 1, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 220-311 : 295

Sorex (Otisorex) pribilofensis Merriam 1895

Sorex (Otisorex) pribilofensis Merriam 1895 , N. Amer. Fauna, 10: 87.

Type Locality: USA, Alaska, Pribilof Isls, St. Paul Isl.

Vernacular Names: Pribilof Island Shrew.

Synonyms: Sorex (Otisorex) hydrodromus Dobson 1889 .

Distribution: Recently known only from St. Paul in the Bering Sea Isls (Pribilof Isls).

Conservation: IUCN – Endangered as S. hydrodromus .

Discussion: Subgenus Otisorex ; S. cinereus group ( Demboski and Cook, 2003). There exists some discrepancy in the literature on the correct name for this species. Dobson's hydrodromus would have priority, but the type locality (Unalaska Isl) may be incorrect, and the holotype specimen shows dental characters of the Sorex araneus group ( Rausch and Rausch, 1997). Hoffmann and Peterson (1967) proposed to suppress hydrodromus in favour of pribilofensis , a suggestion followed by van Zyll de Jong (1991 b). However, Yudin (1969), Baranova et al. (1981), Hall (1981), Junge and Hoffmann (1981), Honacki et al. (1982), and Hutterer (1993 a) retained hydrodromus , while Gureev (1979) listed both hydrodromus and pribilofensis as species. Rausch and Rausch (1997) discussed in detail the complex taxonomic history of this species and described its unique karyotype (2n = 55, FN = 67). Demboski and Cook (2003) included it in the S. cinereus group on the basis of mtDNA data.