Suncus murinus Linnaeus, 1766

Jackson, Stephen M., Jansen, Justin J. F. J., Baglione, Gabrielle & Callou, Cécile, 2021, Mammals collected and illustrated by the Baudin Expedition to Australia and Timor (1800 - 1804): A review of the current taxonomy of specimens in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle de Paris and the illustrations in the Muséum d’Histoire naturelle du Havre, Zoosystema 43 (21), pp. 387-548 : 426

Sorex capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811

( Fig. 157 )

Sorex capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811: 184 .

COMMON NAME. — Asian House Shrew.

CURRENT NAME. — Suncus murinus Linnaeus, 1766 .

See Hutterer (2005: 260).

COLLECTOR/S. — Charles-Alexandre Lesueur, contra É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1811: 185) who mentioned both Péron and Lesueur as its collectors.

COLLECTION LOCALITY. — Île de France ( Mauritius). I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1827: 326) noted that Sorex capensis , the only individual owned by the Museum, was reported by Péron and Lesueur, as from the Île de France ( Mauritius), not Cape Town.

COLLECTION DATE. — Between 7 August and 16 December 1803.

SPECIMEN NUMBER/S. — No data. Referred to by Girard (1856: 105).

COMMENTS. — Status of this taxon is unclear as I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1827: 326) suggested that the type had originated from Île de France ( Mauritius) and that S. capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811 is a synonym of Sorex indicus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811: 183 (synonyme of Suncus murinus ( Linnaeus 1766; Hutterer 2005). Cabrera (1925: 143) placed Sorex capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811 as a synonym of Sorex caeruleus Kerr, 1792 , which is currently a synonym of Suncus murinus ( Hutterer 2005: 260) . This placement is tentative given the Asian distribution of Suncus murinus , but possibly reflects an early introduction to Cape Town as it is known to have been widely introduced to other locations including Madagascar, parts of eastern Africa, Comoros, Île de France ( Mauritius) and Réunion Islands ( Long 2003: 50-51; Hutterer 2005: 260; Cheke & Hume 2008: 95). Trouessart (1897: 199) and Meester (1961: 561). Hutterer (2005: 260) did not recognise capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811 .

ILLUSTRATIONS. — Illustrated by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur – Muséum d’Histoire naturelle du Havre, Inv. no. 80109 ( Fig. 157 ; two living animals) ( Baglione & Crémière 2009: 363).

Figures

FIG. 157. — Sorex capensis É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811. Mauritius. Charles-Alexandre Lesueur. Watercolour and pencil – 25 × 40 cm. Inv. no. 80109. Credits: MHNH.