Crocidura phanluongi
Encyclopedia
Crocidura phanluongi is a species
of shrew
in the genus Crocidura
from southern Vietnam and nearby Cambodia. It is a somewhat small, gray shrew with an ecologically diverse distribution.
of northeastern Cambodia and subsequently, in 2007, in three localities in southern Vietnam. In total, six specimens are known from Cambodia and seven from Vietnam. In 2010, Paulina Jenkins and coworkers described it as a new species of Crocidura, with the type locality at Yok Don National Park
, Đắk Lắk Province, Vietnam. The description appeared in Zootaxa
on January 27, 2010. Six other new species of Crocidura have been described from Vietnam since 2004. The specific name, phanluongi, honors Vietnamese biologist Phan Luong, who participated in the survey that resulted in the discovery of C. phanluongi.
variations among the known specimens. The head and body length is 54 to 66 mm (2.1 to 2.6 in), averaging 59.6 mm (2.35 in); tail length is 40 to 48 mm (1.6 to 1.9 in), averaging 44.4 mm (1.75 in); the hindfoot length is 10 to 12 mm (0.39 to 0.47 in), averaging 11.7 mm (0.46 in); and the condylobasal length (a measure of skull length) is 16.8 to 18.1 mm (0.66 to 0.71 in), averaging 17.4 mm (0.69 in). In the skull
, the interorbital region
is narrow. The upper third molar is slender and the talonid of the lower third molar is reduced.
s—southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests
, central Indochina dry forests
, and southern Vietnam lowland dry forests. All specimens were caught in forest.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...
in the genus Crocidura
Crocidura
The genus Crocidura is one of nine genus of the shrew subfamily Crocidurinae. Members of the genus are commonly called white-toothed shrews or musk shrews, although both also apply to all of the species in the subfamily. With 182 species, Crocidura contains the largest number of species of any...
from southern Vietnam and nearby Cambodia. It is a somewhat small, gray shrew with an ecologically diverse distribution.
Taxonomy
Crocidura phanluongi was first collected in 2006 in Virachey National ParkVirachey National Park
Virachey National Park is a national park in north-eastern Cambodia. Although partly protecting flora and fauna of international conservation priority, the park is under serious threat from illegal logging in the region....
of northeastern Cambodia and subsequently, in 2007, in three localities in southern Vietnam. In total, six specimens are known from Cambodia and seven from Vietnam. In 2010, Paulina Jenkins and coworkers described it as a new species of Crocidura, with the type locality at Yok Don National Park
Yok Don National Park
Yok Don National Park is a national park located in Buôn Đôn District, Dak Lak Province, Tây Nguyên of Vietnam, 40 km west of Buôn Ma Thuột city. The park was established in 1991 to protect 582 km² of a biological area of khộp lowland forest. The total area is 1,155.45 km²...
, Đắk Lắk Province, Vietnam. The description appeared in Zootaxa
Zootaxa
Zootaxa is a peer-reviewed scientific journal for animal taxonomists. It is published by Magnolia Press . The journal was established by Zhi-Qiang Zhang in 2001 and new issues are published multiple times a week...
on January 27, 2010. Six other new species of Crocidura have been described from Vietnam since 2004. The specific name, phanluongi, honors Vietnamese biologist Phan Luong, who participated in the survey that resulted in the discovery of C. phanluongi.
Description
Crocidura phanluongi is a small to medium-sized shrew with a relatively long tail. The fur is dark gray above and somewhat paler below. The upper surfaces of the feet are even paler. Cambodian specimens are gray brown above and silver-gray below. There are also some slight morphometricalMorphometrics
Morphometrics refers to the quantitative analysis of form, a concept that encompasses size and shape. Morphometric analyses are commonly performed on organisms, and are useful in analyzing their fossil record, the impact of mutations on shape, developmental changes in form, covariances between...
variations among the known specimens. The head and body length is 54 to 66 mm (2.1 to 2.6 in), averaging 59.6 mm (2.35 in); tail length is 40 to 48 mm (1.6 to 1.9 in), averaging 44.4 mm (1.75 in); the hindfoot length is 10 to 12 mm (0.39 to 0.47 in), averaging 11.7 mm (0.46 in); and the condylobasal length (a measure of skull length) is 16.8 to 18.1 mm (0.66 to 0.71 in), averaging 17.4 mm (0.69 in). In the skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
, the interorbital region
Interorbital region
The interorbital region of the skull is located between the eyes, anterior to the braincase. The form of the interorbital region may exhibit significant variation between taxonomic groups....
is narrow. The upper third molar is slender and the talonid of the lower third molar is reduced.
Ecology and behavior
Crocidura phanluongi has a relatively broad distribution, extending through at least three ecoregionEcoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
s—southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests
Southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests
The Southeastern Indochina dry evergreen forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of Indochina.-Setting:The ecoregion covers an area of , extending across portions of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam....
, central Indochina dry forests
Central Indochina dry forests
The Central Indochina dry forests are a large tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests ecoregion in Southeast Asia.-Location and description:...
, and southern Vietnam lowland dry forests. All specimens were caught in forest.
Literature cited
- Jenkins, P.D., Lunde, D.P. and Moncrieff, C.B. 2009. Descriptions of new species of Crocidura (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) from mainland Southeast Asia, with synopses of previously described species and remarks on biogeography. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 331:356–405.
- Jenkins, P.D., Abramov, A.V., Rozhnov, V.V. and Olsson, A. 2010. A new species of Crocidura (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) from southern Vietnam and north-eastern Cambodia (abstract only). Zootaxa 2345:60–68.