The taxonomic status of Long-tailed shrews (Mammalia: genus Sorex) from Nuclear Central America
Author
Matson, John O.
Author
Ordóñez-Garza, Nicté
text
Zootaxa
2017
4236
3
461
483
journal article
36454
10.11646/zootaxa.4236.3.3
e605eaa7-c942-4658-a155-34c3e93f1e01
1175-5326
322258
3972C854-F755-4639-B942-30A3FA4151EC
Sorex mccarthyi
,
new species
McCarthy’s Shrew
Sorex salvini
:
Woodman
et al.
2012
: 207
; part.
Holotype
.
Number
119732
Carnegie Museum
of
Natural History
, adult female, dried skin, skull, and partial skeleton (tissue sample SP: 12901), obtained
31 January 1995
by
Timothy J.
McCarthy
(original field number TJM 9342) in cloud forest, approximately
11 km
SW Gracias
,
2560 m
,
Campamento El Naranjo
,
Parque Nacional Celaque
,
Lempira
,
Honduras
, latitude
14
°
33' N
, longitude
88
°
40' W
.
Distribution.
Known only from the
type
locality.
Etymology.
Named in honor of Timothy J.
McCarthy
, collector of the only known specimen.
Diagnosis.
Sorex mccarthyi
is a member of the
S. salvini
species group and is distinguished from
S. cristobalensis
,
S. salvini
, and
S. sclateri
of this group by being smaller in most body and skull measurements (compare
Table 1
with measurements of the
holotype
given below). It is larger than
S. stizodon
. Color is Russet Brown both dorsally and ventrally, tail slightly bicolor (Russet Brown above, slightly paler below).
Description.
A small
Sorex
, measurements of the
holotype
: TOT 111, Tail 51.5,HF 13, EL 7.5,
4.22 g
, CBL 17.05, GLS 17.68, LR 7.55, PL 7.15, LUT 2.45, LMT 4.25, CB 8.12, WM2 4.60, LIB, 3.90, DB 5.15, LM 7.15, HC 3.21. U3 is subequal in size to U4. The lower first incisor has a single pigmented denticle. The anteriomedial tine on the first upper incisor is above the pigmented region.
S. mccarthyi
has a short unicuspid toothrow relative to skull width and depth as compared to
S. cristobalensis
and
S. salvini
and
S. sclateri
. It is larger in all measurements than
S. stizodon
, but smaller than other species of the group.
Ecology.
Sorex mccarthyi
is known only from the cloud forest at an upper elevation (
2560 m
) on Cerro Celaque,
Honduras
. Mammalian associates include:
Cryptotis goodwini
,
Heteromys desmarestianus
,
Peromyscus oaxacensis
,
P. beatae
,
P. mexicanus
,
Reithrodontomys mexicanus
, and Scotinomys teguina
(unpublished manuscript). Nothing is known about its reproduction.
Specimens examined (1).
The holotype.