Episoriculus fumidus
Creators: name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
name: Wilson, Don E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Soricomorpha
Soricidae
Episoriculus
Episoriculus fumidus

description: 153. Taiwanese Brown-toothed <i>Shrew Episoriculus fumidus</i> <b>French:</b> Musaraigne de Taiwan / <b>German:</b> Taiwan-Braunzahnspitzmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Musarana de dientes marrones de Taiwan <b>Other common names:</b> Taiwan Brown-toothed Shrew, Taiwanese Red-toothed Shrew <b>Taxonomy.</b> Soriculus fumidus Thomas, 1913, “ Mt. Arizan [= Alishan], Central Formosa [= Taiwan, China]. Alt. 8000’ [= 2438 m].” Chodsigoa sodalis was once listed as a synonym of E. fumidus, but it has been now confirmed as a different species. They are sympatric at some high altitude localities, although C. sodalis is extremely rare. Episoriculus fumidus is morphological similar to mainland congeneric species. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Endemic to Taiwan I. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 53-71 mm, tail 37-52 mm, hindfoot 11-14-5 mm; weight 5-7-7-8 g. Condylo-incisive lengths are 17-8-19 mm, and tooth rows are 7-5-8 mm. The Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew is medium-sized, with tail shorter than head-body length. Dorsum is smoky blackish, and venter is lighter. Skull is similar to that of the other species of Episoriculus from mainland. Braincase is very dome-shaped and high. Ascending ramus of mandible is broad. Apex of I' is short, and talon (posterior cusp) is low. Upper unicuspids gradually reduce from first to third, and fourth is highly reduced. Talon of I' and first upper unicuspid are equally low. Dental formula for all species of Episoriculus is 1 3/2,GC1/0,P2/1,M 3/3 (x2) = 30. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 64 and FN = 116. <b>Habitat.</b> Various montane habitats including broad-leaved, conifer, and bamboo forests; subalpine shrubs; and orchards at elevations of 1000-3600 m. Taiwanese Browntoothed Shrews favor microhabitats with dense ground cover and more fallen logs in conifer forest and avoid rocky forests with open ground surface. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew is insectivorous, eating a wide variety of invertebrates (mainly arthropods) and oligochaetes. Major prey includes larval and adult insects. <b>Breeding.</b> Breeding of the Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew occurs in the dry season (April-June). Litters have 2—4 young. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew is semi-arboreal and highly adapted to running and jumping. It has been captured by traps in trees 1-2 m high. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> No information. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew is common in Taiwan and widely distributed through the Central Pangean Mountains. Its overall population is large and unlikely declining based on its high capture rate and occurrence in anthropogenic habitat. <b>Bibliography.</b> He et al. (2010), Lin Liangkong &amp; Motokawa (2014), Motokawa et al. (1997), Smith &amp; Yan Xie (2008), Yu Hontsen (1993).
description: Published as part of <i>Russell A. Mittermeier &amp; Don E. Wilson, 2018, Soricidae, pp. 332-551 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on pages 449-450, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6870843