Myosorex gnoskei, 1838

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 : 548-549

439.

Nyika Mouse Shrew

Myosorex gnoskei

French: Musaraigne de Gnoske / German: Gnoske-Mausspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana ratén de Nyika

Other common names: Nyika Burrowing Shrew

Taxonomy. Myosorex gnoskei Kerbis Peterhans et al., 2008 ,

“ 200 m north of the Chilinda Guest House within Nyika National Park , Malawi (10° 34’37”S, 33° 48’30”E, 2285 m).”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Nyika National Park, N Malaw.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 75 mm, tail 41 mm, ear 9 mm, hindfoot 14 mm; weight 8 g (one specimen). The Nyika Mouse Shrew is a relatively small species of mouse shrew. Dorsum dark grayish brown with a yellowish tinge; ventral pelage is grayish yellow. Feet are dark, and have short claws. Tail is moderate in length (52% of head-body length), thin,

and noticeably bicolored, dark brown above, blond below. Skull is long, with a slender rostrum and a narrow braincase. M” is very long and heavily built. There are four unicuspids.

Habitat. Recorded from shrub thickets and bracken fern along a shallow stream at about 2285 m in elevation.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Nyika Mouse Shrew is only known from one specimen at the type locality.

Bibliography. Engelbrektsson (2016e), Kerbis Peterhans, Hutterer et al. (2008).

Figures

424. Aberdare Mole Shrew (Surdisorex norae), 425. Mount Kenya Mole Shrew (Surdisorex polulus), 426. Schlitter’s Mole Shrew (Surdisorex schlitteri), 427. Phillips's Congo Shrew (Congosorex phillipsorum), 428. Greater Congo Shrew (Congosorex polli), 429. Lesser Congo Shrew (Congosorex verheyeni), 430. Meester’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex meester), 431. Dark-footed Mouse Shrew (Myosorex cafer), 432. Sclater’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex sclateri), 433. Thin Mouse Shrew (Mpyosorex tenuis), 434. South African Mouse Shrew (Myosorex varius), 435. Long-tailed Mouse Shrew (Myosorex longicaudatus), 436. Kilimanjaro Mouse Shrew (Myosorex zinki), 437. Geata Mouse Shrew (Myosorex geata), 438. Kihaule’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex kihaulei), 439. Nyika Mouse Shrew (Myosorex gnoskei), 440. Schaller’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex schalleri), 441. Kabogo Mouse Shrew (Myosorex kabogoensis), 442. Babault’ ' s Mouse Shrew (Mpyosorex babaultu), 443. Montane Mouse Shrew (Myosorex blarina), 444. Bururt Mouse Shrew (Myosorex bururiensis), 445. Kahuzi Mouse Shrew (Myosorex jejer), 446. Eisentraut’s Mouse Shrew (Myosorex eisentrauti), 447. Rumpi Mouse Shrew (Myosorex rumpii), 448. Oku Mouse Shrew (Myosorex okuensis)

Distribution. Nyika National Park, N Malaw.