Crocidura hikmiya, a new shrew (Mammalia: Soricomorpha: Soricidae) from Sri Lanka (original) (raw)
Related papers
A Taxonomic Evaluation of the Shrew Suncus montanus (Soricidae: Crocidurinae) of Sri Lanka and India
Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences), 2009
The Sri Lankan and Indian populations of the mountain shrew Suncus montanus have hitherto been recognized as a single species, due to their similarity in size and colour. Here we present mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the cytochrome-b and 16S genes that suggest these populations represent distinct species. Phylogenetic analyses further reveal that the Sri Lankan and Indian populations are not sister taxa: S. montanus sensu stricto from Sri Lanka is the sister species of S. murinus, while 'S. montanus' from India is the sister species of S. stoliczkanus. The uncorrected genetic distance for cytochrome-b between Sri Lankan and Indian 'S. montanus' is ca. 7.5%, which is substantially higher than genetic distances within other species of shrews, or within vertebrate species in general, again supporting their recognition as distinct species. The name Suncus niger is available for the Indian shrew hitherto referred to S. montanus. Suncus montanus and S. niger should now be considered as endemic to Sri Lanka and India, respectively.
Zootaxa
The taxonomy of the pigmy shrews Suncus fellowesgordoni and S. etruscus is unclear and their phylogenetic relationshipsare unknown. Using molecular and morphological data, we confirm the species status of S. fellowesgordoni as being dis-tinct from S. etruscus, its probable sister species. Suncus fellowesgordoni is genetically distant from S. etruscus popula-tions in Sri Lanka and India, and Europe with a percent pairwise uncorrected genetic distance of 7.9–8.2% and 9.2–9.3%for cytochrome-b (mitochondrial DNA), respectively. The genetic distance between S. fellowesgordoni and S. etruscus ofSri Lanka and India for Rag 1 (nuclear DNA, exon) is 1.3–1.7%. The two species are also morphologically distinct by S. fellowesgordoni being larger in all dimensions, darker in hue and having two denticulations on the lower incisors.
Phylogenetic Relationships of the Endemic Sri Lankan Shrew Genera: Solisorex and Feroculus
Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences), 2015
Sri Lanka has a rich diversity of shrews: ten species in four genera, with two genera and five species endemic to the island. In the current study we use complete cytochrome-b mitochondrial gene sequences to infer the relationships of two Sri Lankan monotypic genera Solisorex and Feroculus. Maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony phylogenetic analyses revealed that Solisorex is an old lineage that forms the sister group to all other crocidurines. In contrast, Feroculus is nested within Suncus.
ZooKeys
Although Borneo has received more attention from biologists than most other islands in the Malay Archipelago, many questions regarding the systematic relationships of Bornean mammals remain. Using next-generation sequencing technology, we obtained mitochondrial DNA sequences from the holotype of Suncus ater, the only known specimen of this shrew. Several shrews collected recently in Sarawak are closely aligned, both morphologically and mitochondrially, with the holotype of S. ater. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial sequences indicate that the S. ater holotype and new Sarawak specimens do not belong to the genus Suncus, but instead are most closely related to Palawanosorex muscorum. Until now Palawanosorex has been known only from the neighboring Philippine island of Palawan. Additional sequences from nuclear ultra-conserved elements from the new Sarawak specimens strongly support a sister relationship to P. muscorum. We therefore transfer ater to Palawanosorex. The new specimen...
Journal of Zoology, 1997
We define the species boundaries of white‐toothed shrews (genus Crocidura) in Taiwan using karyological and morphological characteristics. Ninety‐nine animals were obtained from all over Taiwan at capture rates usually less than 10%. Three species are recognized by distinct cytotypes: Crocidura attenuata tanakae 2n = 40, FN = 56; Crocidura suaveolens hosletti 2n = 40, FN = 50; Crocidura kurodai 2n = 40, FN = 54. A suite of six morphological characters diagnose the three species: shape of skull, position of incisive foramina, shape of fourth upper premolar, shape of pinna, tail vibrissae, and foot pads. A species key and notes on the life history of each species are provided. Finally, we discuss chromosomal evolution and biolgeography of Crocidura in East and South East Asia.
2011
This study used a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of Suncus pygmy shrews and to help clarify the taxonomic status of the Malayan pygmy shrew (S. malayanus) and the Malagasy pygmy shrew (S. madagascariensis). Phylogenetic reconstructions were performed using neighbour-joining and Bayesian analysis methods and revealed that S. malayanus is related to, but distinct from S. etruscus. The K2P-corrected genetic distance among the Malaysian taxon and other pygmy shrews for the cytochrome b gene was between 6.1 and 8.5%, supporting recognition that S. malayanus represents a distinct species from the geographically widespread S. etruscus species complex. A close (1.5% K2P distance) sister-group relationship was revealed between S. etruscus from Sri Lanka and S. madagascariensis from Madagascar, which has been considered an island endemic, and suggests that these animals are not specifically distinct. The Malagasy population of this shrew most probably was translocated to the island by human intervention, with the lineage originating from Southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent.
Phylogeny and evolution of African shrews (Mammalia: Soricidae) inferred from 16s rRNA sequences
Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 2001
Current phylogenetic hypotheses on the African Crocidurinae (Soricidae) are based upon morpho-anatomical, karyological, and allozyme studies. The present study attempts to resolve the interrelationships among African Crocidurinae and their relationships to Eurasian Crocidurinae and to the subfamily Soricinae, on the basis of partial mitochondrial 16s rRNA sequences (549 bp). This is the first molecular study to include all but one of the nine currently recognized African shrew genera. In agreement with current views, two major lineages emerge. The first lineage includes Myosorex and Congosorex and supports the existence of a myosoricine taxon. The second lineage includes the six remaining genera. The genus Sylvisorex appears to be polyphyletic, whereas species of the controversial genus Crocidura are monophyletic. The genus Suncus presumably originated in Africa. The monospecific genera Ruwenzorisorex and Scutisorex and the two representatives of Paracrocidura cluster with species o...
Discovery of a new mammal species (Soricidae: Eulipotyphla) from Narcondam volcanic island, India
Scientific Reports
We discovered a new Crocidura species of shrew (Soricidae: Eulipotyphla) from Narcondam Island, India by using both morphological and molecular approaches. The new species, Crocidura narcondamica sp. nov. is of medium size (head and body lengths) and has a distinct external morphology (darker grey dense fur with a thick, darker tail) and craniodental characters (braincase is rounded and elevated with weak lambdoidal ridges) in comparison to other close congeners. This is the first discovery of a shrew from this volcanic island and increases the total number of Crocidura species catalogued in the Indian checklist of mammals to 12. The newly discovered species shows substantial genetic distances (12.02% to 16.61%) to other Crocidura species known from the Indian mainland, the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago, Myanmar, and from Sumatra. Both Maximum-Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inferences, based on mitochondrial (cytochrome b) gene sequences showed distinct clustering of all inc...