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

description: 132. Wandering Small-eared Shrew <i>Cryptotis montivagus</i> <b>French:</b> Musaraigne dAnthony / <b>German:</b> Wandernde Kleinohrspitzmaus / <b>Spanish:</b> Musarana de orejas pequenas errante <b>Other common names:</b> Grizzled Ecuadorean Shrew, Wandering Shrew <b>Taxonomy.</b> Blarina montivaga Anthony, 1921, “ Bestion, Prov. del Azuay, Ecuador.” Widely used specific name montivaga has been changed for gender agreement. Cryptotis montivagus is in the C. thomas: group based on morphology, but molecu- lar data found that C. montivagus, C. evaristor, and C. niausa were closely related to the C. mexicanus group. In another recent study by H. Zeballos and colleagues in 2018, however, the C. thomas: group was found to be close to the C. nigrescens group, with C. montivagus sister to a clade containing C. gracilis, C. osgoodi, and C. equatoris. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Andes of Chimborazo, Azuay, and Loja provinces in C &amp; S Ecuador and Piura Department in NW Peru. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 65-86 mm, tail 22-38 mm, hindfoot 12-17 mm (Ecuador) or head-body 73-99,tail 25-35, hindfoot 14-16 (Peru); weight 9-16-5 g. The Wandering Small-eared Shrew is medium to large in size. Peruvian specimens are overall larger than Ecuadorean specimens. Dorsum is light grayish brown, and venter is slightly paler grayish brown. Forefeet are somewhat enlarged and robust, with long pointed claws. Tail is short (37% of head-body length), unicolored brownish, and covered with short hairs. Eyes are diminutive, and ears are small and hidden underfur. Fourth unicuspid is in line with unicuspid tooth row and visible in lateral view of skull. Teeth are reddish, and there are four unicuspids. <b>Habitat.</b> Wet montane forests dominated by Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae) and Ocotea (Lauraceae) or Polylepis (Rosaceae) at elevations of 2500-3800 m. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> Stomach contents of some Wandering Small-eared Shrews contained beetles, spiders, caterpillars, and possibly arthropod larvae. <b>Breeding.</b> A pregnant Wandering Small-eared Shrew with two embryos was recorded in August; lactating females have been recorded in July-August. <b>Activity patterns.</b> There is no specific information for this species, but based on their diet, the Wandering Small-eared Shrew might be an epigeal forager, making it terrestrial. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> No information. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as C. montivaga). The Wandering Small-eared Shrew is described as uncommon but with a possible stable population trend, although additional studies are needed. It is found in a region with high rates of habitat loss due to deforestation but seems tolerant to some habitat degradation. Current status of critical habitat is presently uncertain. <b>Bibliography.</b> Barnett (1992, 1999), Moreno (2017), Moreno &amp; Albuja (2014), Naylor &amp; Roach (2016b), Vivar et al. (1997), Woodman &amp; Péfaur (2008), Zeballos et al. (2018).
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 440-441, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6870843