Long-tailed brown-toothed shrew

Episoriculus leucops is a shrew of the genus Episoriculus. It is common in South Asia in northern India and Nepal, in central and southern China, as well as in Myanmar.

Features

With a head-body length of 5.3 to 8.1 centimeters, the type is one of the medium-sized shrew species. The tail reaches a length of 5.8 to 8.3 centimeters and the hind of 1.2 to 1.9 centimeters. The back and belly coloration is uniformly dark brown to black iron gray. The tail is about the same length as the head-body length and is compared to other species, especially the sympatric Episoriculus caudate, comparatively long.

The skull has a maximum length of 18 to 21 millimeters, which is slightly larger than the other species of the genus.

Dissemination

Episoriculus leucops is spread over parts of the high mountains of South Asia, south-western China and parts of the north of Southeast Asia. The area ranges in South Asia from northern India in Sikkim to Nepal, where the species is found at altitudes up to 2,900 meters. In the People's Republic of China is the way in the provinces of Xizang, Sichuan and Yunnan at altitudes of 3000-3500 meters, also the species lives in the north of Myanmar and Vietnam.

Way of life

The preferred habitat of Episoriculus leucops is located in the mid to high altitudes above 2000-3500 meters, where they settled damp rhododendron, deciduous and coniferous forests. In addition, the species lives in moist bamboo resources, bushes and grasslands and is also found in the area of human settlements and agricultural land. She comes before sympatric with the slightly smaller Episoriculus caudate.

The diet consists mainly of earthworms and other invertebrates. About the propagation data are very rare, probably get the females in a litter to six pups.

System

Episoriculus leucops is classified as a separate species within the genus Episoriculus, which consists of four types. The first scientific description comes from Thomas Horsfield from the year 1855.

Within the species in addition to the nominate E. leucops leucops with E. baileyi leucops total of two subspecies are distinguished.

Threat and protection

The type is determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN ) due to the relatively large distribution range in Asia, classified their easy adaptability and the stock size is assumed to be not at risk ( " least concern "). Threats to the species are not known and a significant decline in populations is not accepted, regionally it may be threatened by habitat changes.