Bottego's shrew

Bottegos shrew ( Crocidura bottegi ) is a little-known African shrew from the kind of white tooth shrew ( Crocidura ). The species name refers to the Italian explorer Vittorio Bottego.

Features

Size information are only a few copies before. Two specimens have overall lengths of 46 and 51 mm, a tail length of 29 or 30 mm, Hinterfußlängen minimum of 9 mm, a copy has an ear length of 7 mm and a copy of a weight of 4 g two copies have a skull length of 14.9 respectively 15.2 mm and a width of the skull of 6.5 and 7.2 mm. Three copies the entire length of the upper row of teeth of the first cutting tooth and a third molar of 6.1 to 6.2 mm. The back fur is rich chocolate brown with a rusty-brown tint. The peritoneum is slightly lighter. The ears are dark brown. The front and hind limbs are brown hairy. The claws are short. The medium length tail makes up about 60 percent of the total length and is hairy to about 80 percent. The skull has a high and rounded braincase. The area between the Augenöhlen and on the jaw bone is short but wide. The front teeth are weakly developed. The third upper molar is quite wide. The karyotype and the number of teats are not known.

Distribution area, habitat and behavior

Bottegos shrew is known only from three locations in the highlands of Ethiopia, including the terra typica northeast of Lake Turkana between Badditu and Dime and Marsabit in northern Kenya. Specimens of a similar shrew from West Africa who were mistaken for Bottegos shrews, today the West African pygmy shrew ( Crocidura obscurior ) are assigned. About the habitat and way of life does not have detailed information.

Status

The IUCN classifies Bottegos shrew in the category of " insufficient data " ( data deficient ). Information about the existence, frequency, habitat requirements, the exact area of ​​distribution and the degree of risk are not known.