Publication details
New species of Crocidura (Mammalia: Soricidae) from Ethiopia, and a review of shrews from the country
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| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| Citation | |
| Description | Thanks to a substantial variety of unique habitats (heterogeneity related to presence of the Great Rift Valley and Ethiopian highlands), the country of Ethiopia hosts an outstanding level of biodiversity and endemism. This is true for small mammals as well, including the white-toothed shrews (Crocidura), whose diversity is still not understood sufficiently. New species are defined from Ethiopia, based on genetic and morphological data of recently collected specimens (using cytochrome b barcoding and skull morphology data). One is a northern representative of C. lucina, another is a new species allied to C. turba. Comparisons are provided with other species known to occur in the country. A tentative list of 30 species of shrews known from the territory of Ethiopia is provided, 14 of which are currently considered to be endemic to Ethiopia. The endemic shrew fauna consists of forest and montane species known to occur within an altitudinal range of 1200–4050 m a.s.l. The remarkable numbers of endemic Crocidura species shows that the Ethiopian Plateau is an important centre of diversity and of an adaptive radiation of the genus. Current molecular data suggest that a majority of endemic Crocidura species form a monophyletic clade that diversified in Ethiopia and served as a source for southward colonization of other East African mountains. |