Molecular relationships of the Israeli shrews (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae) based on cytochromebsequences

Abstract

The number of shrew species in Israel has been and still is the subject of debate. In this work we used for the first time a molecular marker, the cytochrome b gene, to investigate the number and identity of shrew species in Israel. Our molecular results confirmed the presence of four species: Crocidura leucodon, Crocidura suaveolens gueldenstaedtii, Crocidura ramona, and Suncus etruscus. The C. ramona sequences were found to differ from all other Crocidura species sequenced to date, supporting its status as a distinct species. Whether it is conspecific with Crocidura portali (described in 1920 from Israel and usually synonymized with C. suaveolens), will require additional study. The sequences of Israeli C. suaveolens were found to be very similar to those of Iran, Turkey, and Georgia (i.e., C. suaveolens gueldenstaedtii), in agreement with previous studies. The Israeli C. leucodon sequences, however, formed a distinct clade among C. leucodon. Finally, the S. etruscus sequences clustered with sequences from France, Italy, and Iran.

Morphology and Mitochondrial Lineage Investigations Corroborate the Systematic Status and Pliocene Colonization of Suncus niger (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla) in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot of India

“…Prior to this study, although the identity and systematics of the Indian endemic eutherian (S. niger) were well accepted [7,8,54,55], it was necessary to reassess this taxon from its type locality. Both morphometric and molecular data verified the species status of S. niger in the current research, which is consistent with the prior hypothesis [7,8,25]. The external appearance of S. niger is mostly similar to the Asian Musk Shrew (S. murinus), but distinguished by the overall blackish body including its hands, feet, tail, ears, and muzzle, and relatively smaller.…”

“…Small mammals, such as non-volant species, are less concentrated groups in terms of evaluation and protection than larger mammals. Among all Soricomorphs, Suncus is one of the barely studied groups compared to other groups such as Crocidura, requiring in-depth taxonomic assessment across their vast zoogeography [25]. The morphological characteristics of Suncus species often overlap, leading to misunderstandings during taxonomic evaluation.…”

“…In addition to traditional taxonomy, molecular methods have been extensively used to assess the systematics, evolutionary relationships, and zoogeographic genetic diversity of Suncus species in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia [2,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Particularly the mitochondrial genes (Cytb and 16S rRNA) were found to be useful in re-evaluating the phylogeny of Suncus species, mainly focusing on groups from Western Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Nonetheless, the population genetic structure and phylogeography of S. murinus were disclosed based on mitochondrial gene variations and protein electrophoresis from various localities in South Asia and Southeast Asia.…”

A new addition to the embalmed fauna of ancient Egypt: Güldenstaedt’s White-toothed Shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii (Pallas, 1811) (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)

“…g . gueldenstaedtii , whose geographic distribution extends from western Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and eastern Turkey, southwest along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to Israel and the Sinai Peninsula [ 28 , 29 , 31 , 32 ]. This taxon is the modern member of the C .…”