Neomys teres, G. S. Miller, 1908

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Soricidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 332-551 : 457

180.

Transcaucasian Water

Shrew Neomys teres French: Crossope du Caucase / German: Kaukasische Bachspitzmaus / Spanish: Musgano del Caucaso

Taxonomy. Neomys teres G. S. Miller, 1908 ,

“ edge of brook in mountains (altitude 7000 feet [= 2134 m]) 25 miles [= 40 km] north of Erzeroum [= Erzurum, Erzurum Province], Turkey.”

Neomys teres is ecologically close and very similar in appearance to N. fodiens , although genetically equidistant from N. anomalus and N. fodiens . Subspecific taxonomy needs verification. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

N. t. teres G. S. Miller, 1908 — Turkey.

N. t. balkaricus Ognev, 1926 — Ciscaucasia.

N. t. leptodactylus Satunin, 1914 — Transcaucasia.

N. t. schelkounikovi Satunin, 1913 — Greater Caucasus.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 83-101 mm, tail 58-73 mm, hindfoot 18-2-22-1 mm; weight 11-28 g. The Transcaucasian Water Shrew is very large, larger than any other modern species of Neomys . Keel on tail is well developed and occupies about 50% oftail’s length distally. Swimming borders ofstiff hairs on feet are quite well developed. Tail is usually longer than 65% of head-body length. Pelage is longer and denser compared with other species of Neomys . Eyes are hidden in fur. Upper parts of body are blackbrown, with weak ash or silvery gray tint. Belly is light gray, sometimes with pale yellow or grayish brown tint. Light spot behind eyeis poorly seen. Tail varies from bicolored to light unicolored. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 52 and FN = 98. X-chromosome is medium-sized submetacentric, and Y-chromosome is small metacentric. There are 44 metacentric and submetacentric autosomes and 3 acrocentric autosomes.

Habitat. Banks of small rivers and creeks in mixed and coniferous forest belts of mountains or alpine meadows at elevations up to 2500 m. Habitats with rank near-water vegetation are preferred, while habitats near large rivers are avoided, especially when banks are barren of vegetation. In Turkey, the Transcaucasian Water Shrew is occasionally found along irrigation channels and ditches into fields and orchards.

Food and Feeding. Gastric contents of Transcaucasian Water Shrews were examined in Armenia, and terrestrial invertebrates were higher in biomass than water invertebrates, accounting for 21% oftotal biomass. More common terrestrial invertebrates included earthworms, adult beetles, adult dipterans, spiders, and harvestmen; caterpillars prevailed in gastric contents of two individuals. Isopods (Asellus), freshwater shrimp, and caddis worms were most prevalent among water invertebrates. Vertebrate tissues were not found in stomachs. The Transcaucasian Water Shrew might be capable of immobilizing its prey, like other species of Neomys , but studies to verify this are lacking.

Breeding. Young Transcaucasian Water Shrews are born in May-August. Litters have 2-9 young (average six).

Activity patterns. The Transcaucasian Water Shrew is semi-aquatic. Activity periods occur mostly at night or twilight in summer and shift to daytime in winter when individuals are active in the morning and afternoon.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population sizes are not high, but the Transcaucasian Water Shrew is common.

Bibliography. Bannikova & Kramerov (2005), Churchfield et al. (2006), Krystufek & Vohralik (2001), Sokolov & Tembotov (1989), Zaitsev et al. (2014), Zima et al. (1998).

Figures

136. Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina hulophaga), 137. Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicaudus), 138. Southern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina carolinensis), 139. Everglades Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina peninsulae), 140. Sherman’s Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina shermani), 141. Sichuan Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella quadraticauda), 142. Burmese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella wardi), 143. Indochinese Short-tailed Shrew (Blarinella griselda), 144. Chinese Mole Shrew (Anourosorex squamaipes), 145. Taiwanese Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex yamashinai), 146. Assam Mole Shrew (Anowrosorex assamensis), 147. Giant Mole Shrew (Anourosorex schmid), 148. Desert Gray Shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi), 149. Cockrum’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex cockrumi), 150. Large-eared Gray Shrew (Notiosorex evolis), 151. Villa’s Gray Shrew (Notiosorex villa), 152. Mexican Shrew (Megasorex gigas), 153. Taiwanese Brown-toothed (Shrew Epusoriculusfumidus), 154. Arboreal Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus macrurus), 155. Bailey's Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus baileyi), 156. Long-tailed Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus leucops), 157. Hodgson’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus caudatus), 158. Sichuan Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus sacratus), 159. Hidden Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus umbrinus), 160. Nepalese Brown-toothed Shrew (Episoriculus soluensis), 161. Himalayan Shrew (Soriculus nigrescens), 162. De Winton’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hypsibia), 163. Pygmy Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parva), 164. Smith’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa smithii), 165. Salenski’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa salenskii), 166. Dusky Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa furva), 167. Lesser Taiwanese Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa sodalis), 168. Van Sung’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa caovansunga), 169. Hoffmann’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa hoffmanni), 170. Lowe’s Brown-toothed Shrew (Chodsigoa parca), 171. Bornean Water Shrew (Chimarrogale phaeura), 172. Sumatran Water Shrew (Chimarrogale sumatrana), 173. Malayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale hantu), 174. Chinese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale styani), 175. Himalayan Water Shrew (Chimarrogale himalayica), 176. Leander’s Water Shrew (Chimarrogale leander), 177. Japanese Water Shrew (Chimarrogale platycephala), 178. Elegant Water Shrew (Nectogale elegans), 179. Mediterranean Water Shrew (Neomys anomalus), 180. Transcaucasian Water (Shrew Neomysteres), 181. Eurasian Water Shrew (Neomys fodiens)

Subspecies and Distribution. N. t. teres G. S. Miller, 1908 — Turkey. N. t. balkaricus Ognev, 1926 — Ciscaucasia. N. t. leptodactylus Satunin, 1914 — Transcaucasia. N. t. schelkounikovi Satunin, 1913 — Greater Caucasus.