Broadening the distribution of the microendemic shrew Cryptotis phillipsii (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae)

Abstract

The Phillips´ small-eared shrew, Cryptotis phillipsii (Schaldach, 1966), is geographically restricted to a small patches of montane cloud forests from southern Oaxaca, México. Distributional records and specimens of C. phillipsii are relatively scarce, so it still remains as poorly-known species. Here, we provide 2 new localities based on the analyses of specimens that remained unidentified in a museum. We analyzed 5 specimens from the Sierra Madre del Sur biogeographic province, southwestern Oaxaca, which were collected in 1-liter pitfall traps. We determined the taxonomic identity of the specimens using specialized literature and by comparison with other shrew species potentially inhabiting the region. The external and cranial morphology allowed us to determine that these 2 specimens belong to the species Cryptotis phillipsii. These records extend the known distribution of C. phillipsii by about ca. 60 km west and provide additional information about their habitat preferences. The records presented here extend the range of C. phillipsii and corroborate predictions maps of current potential distributions suggesting the existence of suitable conditions for the species in the region. We urge continuing support and funding for fieldwork and the updating of scientific collections in order to accomplish the urgent task of completing the inventory of species and overcome the lack of their distributional information.

A new species of small-eared shrew (Soricidae, Cryptotis) from El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas, Mexico

“…Discovering potentially differentiated lineages of shrews.— The diversity and distribution of Neotropical shrews are still in the discovery stage (Woodman 2019; Lavariega et al 2020). Faced with the current biodiversity crisis, it is necessary to use methods and tools that accelerate discovery and assist in taxonomic decision-making.…”