Crocidura dsinezuma, Temminck, 1842

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 : 484-485

254.

Dsinezumi White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura dsinezuma

French: Crocidure du Japon / German: Dsinezumi-Weifl 3zahnspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de Dsinezumi

Other common names: Dsinezumi Shrew, Japanese White-toothed Shrew

Taxonomy. Crocidura dsinezumi Temminck, 1842 ,

no type locality given. Restricted by H. Abe in 1967 to Kyushu , Japan.

Previously considered to include C. orias a subspecies. Closely related to C. tanakae kurodai of Taiwan and C. lasiura of Russia. The forms chisai, intermedia, and okinoshimae were previously treated as its subspecies, but all are indistinguishable based on either morphological or molecular data and are now considered to be junior

synonyms. Sorex umbrinus was considered a race of C. dsinezumi butits type locality is unknown, and its taxonomic status has been left unresolved; it might represent an undescribed subspecies. Monotypic.

Distribution. Originally endemic to Japan, and mainly distributed in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu; it has been found in other small islands including Sado, Oki Is, Mishima, Okinoshima (Fukuoka Prefecture), Tanegashima, Yakushima, Nakanoshima (Tokara Is), and Izu Is. Introduced to Hokkaido and Jeju I (South Korea).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 61-84 mm, tail 39-54 mm, ear 10-10-5 mm, hindfoot 11-5-15 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Condylo-incisive length 16-7-21-6 mm, tooth row 7-:2-9-1 mm. The Dsinezumi White-toothed Shrew is a small shrew and the sole Crocidura species in Kyushu, Honshu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido. Tail is usually shorter than 70% of head—body length, the bristle hair scattering along the basal half of tail. Dorsal pelage is between grayish pale bister and clove brown, and ventrum is between drab and brown in winter; in summer, dorsal pelage is snuff brown or clove brown, and ventrum is buffy brown or hair brown. Skull with broad and robust facial portion; braincase is long and narrow. Upper tooth row short; the first upper unicuspid is twice as long as the third; the second and third upper unicuspids are half as low as the first; third unicuspid slightly larger than, or subequal to the second. Paracone of upper premolar usually not exceeding the line connecting the tips of second and third unicuspids. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 40 and FNa = 52.

Habitat. Occurs from sea level up to 1900 m. Found along riverbanks and waterfronts, and in bushes around cultivated land at low-lying elevations. At middle to high elevations, found along riverbanks, in open grassland, and occasionally in broadleaf forests. It was found sympatrically distributed with Sorex species, and Japanese Shrew Moles ( Urotrichus talpoides) in mid-elevational montane areas. Ural owls (Strix uralensis), Japanese mamushi pit vipers ( Gloydius ), and feral cats are recorded predators.

Food and Feeding. The Dsinezumi White-toothed Shrew is insectivorous. Its diet is primarily composed of small insects ( Coleoptera and Hymenoptera ), spiders, and centipedes, but also includes crustaceans and earthworms.

Breeding. Mating system is unknown. Reproductive season appears to be from April to October, when testis size is developed. Gestation period is 28-9 days on average (26-33) in captivity. Litter size was reported to be 1-5 in the wild, and 1-4 in captivity.

Activity patterns. Terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. There is no serious threat to this species. Population appears to be large and stable. As it adapts well to cultivated land, the population is unlikely to be declining.

Bibliography. Abe (1967), Dubey, Salamin et al. (2008), Motokawa (2003b), Ohdachi et al. (2009), Ruedi et al. (1993).

Figures

226. Malayan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura malayana), 227. Peninsular White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura negligens), 228. Black-footed White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura nigripes), 229. Bornean White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura foetida), 230. Kinabalu White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura baluensis), 231. Thick-tailed White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura brunnea), 232. Oriental White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura orientalis), 233. Bangka White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura vosmaeri), 234. Hutan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura hutanis), 235. Beccari’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura beccarii), 236. Sumatran Giant White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura lepidura), 237. Mount Malindang White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura grandis), 238. Mindanao White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura beata), 239. Mindoro White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura mindorus), 240. Panay White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura panayensis), 241. Negros White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura negrina), 242. Luzon White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura grayi), 243. Sibuyan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura ninoyi), 244. Palawan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura palawanensis), 245. Javan Long-tailed White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura abscondita), 246. Gathorne’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura gathornei), 247. Horsfield’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura horsfieldii), 248. Sinharaja White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura hikmiya), 249. Sri Lankan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura miya), 250. Lesser Ryukyu White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura wataser), 251. Southeast Asian White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura fuliginosa), 252. Large White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura dracula), 253. Sumatran Long-tailed White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura paradoxura), 254. Dsinezumi White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura dsinezuma), 255. Chinese White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura rapax), 256. Ussuri White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura lasiura), 257. Asian Gray White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura attenuata), 258. Zaitsev’s White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura zaitsevi), 259. Indochinese White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura indochinensis), 260. Hainan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura wuchihensis), 261. Timor White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura tenuis), 262. Javan White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura maxi), 263. Javan Ghost White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura umbra), 264. Sunda White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura monticola), 265. Neglected White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura neglecta)

Distribution. Originally endemic to Japan, and mainly distributed in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu; it has been found in other small islands including Sado, Oki Is, Mishima, Okinoshima (Fukuoka Prefecture), Tanegashima, Yakushima, Nakanoshima (Tokara Is), and Izu Is. Introduced to Hokkaido and Jeju I (South Korea).