Sylvisorex lunaris, Thomas, 1906
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6870843 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6870028 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54-A060-870C-FAE1-AA9C142FF7F6 |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Sylvisorex lunaris |
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Moon Forest Shrew
Sylvisorex lunaris View in CoL
French: Pachyure de la Lune / German: Mondberg-Waldmoschusspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de bosque de las Montanas de la Luna
Other common names: Crescent Shrew
Taxonomy. Sylvisorex lunaris Thomas, 1906 View in CoL ,
Mubuku Valley , 12,000 ft. (= 3810 m), Rwenzori East, Uganda.
S. lunaris might represent a species complex of very restricted species, but additional research is needed. Genetic studies have placed it close to S. granti and S. johnstoni . Monotypic.
Distribution. EC DR Congo, SW Uganda, W Rwanda, and W Burundi,as well as Idjwi I in Lake Kivu. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 70-93 mm, tail 45-56 mm, ear 7-10 mm, hindfoot 12-16 mm; weight 9-20 g. The Moon Forest Shrew is medium-sized, with soft and dense pelage and a silky sheen. Dorsum is dark grayish brown to medium brown, and venter is brownish gray and paler than dorsum. Feet are dark brown. Tail is ¢.65% of head-body length, narrow, and blackish brown. There are six mammae. First incisors are moderately long and hooked, third molar is medium in size, and braincase is high-domed. There are four unicuspids. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 58 and FN = 80.
Habitat. Primarily swamps and secondary bush but also grass-bush, elephant-grass, and gallery woodlands at elevations of 1600-1900 m. Moon Forest Shrews have also been recorded from secondary forest, bamboo forests, and montane swamps at elevations of 1900-3300 m, although they are significantly less common in these habitats.
Food and Feeding. No information.
Breeding. Pregnant Moon Forest Shrews have been recorded in February, March, June, and July, with 2—4 embryos.
Activity patterns. Moon Forest Shrews are terrestrial.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Moon Forest Shrew has a small extent of occurrence (probably less than 20,000 km?), a severely fragmented distribution, and a continuing decline in extent and quality of its habitat in the mountains of the Albertine Rift. It is threatened by deforestation, generally resulting from logging operations, and conversion of land to agricultural and other uses. It is presumably present in several protected areas (e.g. Virunga National Park).
Bibliography. Geider & Kock (1991), Happold & Dieterlen (2013), Hutterer, Van der Straeten & Verheyen (1987), Stanley & Olson (2005).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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Sylvisorex lunaris
| Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson 2018 |
Sylvisorex lunaris
| Thomas 1906 |