Long-clawed shrew
Sorex unguiculatus in Tama Zoo, Japan
Sorex unguiculatus is a shrew of the genus Rotzahnspitzmäuse ( Sorex ). It occurs in Russia, in the northeastern China, northeast Korea and on several Japanese islands.
Features
With a head-body length of 7.0 to 9.1 centimeters and a weight of about 6 to 10 grams of Sorex unguiculatus is one of the major shrews. The tail reaches a length of 41-51 millimeters - making it shorter than the rest of the body - the hind foot 12 to 14 millimeters. The dorsal and ventral fur is dark brown, the belly is slightly lighter and slightly gray. The front feet are wide with more than three millimeters long claws, which are significantly longer than the hind feet.
The skull has a total length of 19 to 21 millimeters. Like most species of the genus has the kind in the maxilla per half an incisor ( incisor ) and then five unicuspid teeth, a Vorbackenzahn ( premolar ) and three molars ( Molar ). In the mandible, it has, however, a single canine ( canine ) behind the incisor. Overall, the animals thus have a dentition of 32 teeth. The roots of teeth are stained red as with most Rotzahnspitzmäusen. The first three -pointed teeth of the upper jaw to take in their size easily against each other, the second can also be smaller. However, all three teeth are significantly larger than the next two.
The genome of Sorex unguiculatus consists of a diploid chromosome complement of 2n = 42 (FN = 68-70 ).
Dissemination
The distribution area of Sorex unguiculatus is located in the northwest corner of the Asian continent on the Pacific Ocean. It is used in Russia from the mouth of the Amur to Vladivostok, including the offshore island of Sakhalin, in the north-eastern People's Republic of China in the provinces of Heilongjiang and eastern Nei Mongols, in the north- east of Korea and the Japanese islands Rebun, Rishiri, Teuri, Moyuyuri, Yagishiri and Daikoku ago.
Way of life
Sorex unguiculatus comes in very different habitats from lowland prior to the mountain regions, where they settled mostly the leaf litter and the upper soil layers. A particularly high density achieved the kind of open areas and meadows. She lives partly digging in the ground and feeds on invertebrates, especially earthworms and insects as well as snails. In China, the species is partly sympatric with S. caecutiens and S. isodon.
In the southern part of the range of the breeding season extends from early April to late September, in the Amur region, it lasts only during the summer months. The females give birth to up to three litters per year, each with three to seven pups born.
System
Sorex unguiculatus is classified as a separate species within the genus of Rotzahnspitzmäuse ( Sorex ), which consists of about 80 species. The first scientific description was created by George Edward Dobson from 1890, who described it from the island of Sakhalin and from the area of Nikolaievsk -on-Amur in Russia. Within the genus, the species is classified in the subgenus Sorex and S. caecutiens group attributed.
Within the species, no further addition to the nominate subspecies Sorex unguiculatus unguiculatus be distinguished.
Threat and protection
Sorex unguiculatus is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) due to the large distribution area and the non-existent threat inventory as not at risk ( least concern ).