Gmelin's white-toothed shrew

Crocidura gmelini is a shrew from the kind of white tooth shrew ( Crocidura ). It comes in Central Asia in parts of Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the People's Republic of China and Mongolia.

Features

With a head-body length of 5.2 to 7.2 centimeters Crocidura gmelini one of the smallest shrews of Eurasia and is comparable in size with the allopatric occurring in central and eastern China Crocidura shantungensis. The tail reaches a length of 25 to 42mm. The hind foot has a length of 11 to 14 millimeters. The back fur is dark brownish-gray with a slightly grayer belly is slightly lighter than the shantungensis of C. Moreover, the tail is slightly shorter.

The skull has a total length of 17 to 18 millimeters. Like all species of the genus has the kind in the maxilla per half an incisor ( incisor ) and then three unicuspid teeth, one premolar and three molars. In the mandible, it has, however, a single canine ( canine ) behind the incisor. Overall, the animals thus have a set of teeth from 28 teeth. The roots are not pigmented white, as in all tooth shrews in contrast to those of the Rotzahnspitzmäuse.

Dissemination

Crocidura gmelini comes in Central Asia, in parts of Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the People's Republic of China and Mongolia. Also for Israel are observations that are still unclear, however. In China, the species is found only in the northwestern part of the province of Xinjiang.

Way of life

The life of Crocidura gmelini is largely unexplored as with many shrews. She lives mainly in dry, arid ( arid ) regions and is adapted to this. As habitats they use, among other salt marshes, sparsely covered with tamarisk and Nitraria sand dunes and comparable habitats. In the area of ​​Yarkant she also lives in the lush vegetation along the riverbanks and in the grass steppe. Like all shrews feed on this species of invertebrates, especially insects. About the reproduction is not known.

System

Crocidura gmelini is classified as a separate species within the genus of white tooth shrew ( Crocidura ), which consists of about 170 species. The first scientific description written by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811, who described an individual from near the town of Bojnourd in the province of North Khorasan in Iran today from a height of about 3200 meters. This species was occasionally seen as synonymous with the pygmy shrew ( Sorex minutus), the distinction from C. suaveolens and C. katinka is not yet fully understood. In addition, a swap of a new kind of web portals Crocidura was discussed.

Within the species are no further sub- types in addition to the nominate Crocidura gmelini gmelini be distinguished.

Threat and protection

Crocidura gmelini is classified as not at risk ( least concern ) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) due to the large distribution area, the assumed large populations and the non-existent threat to the existence.

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