Suncus megalura Jentink 1888

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Soricomorpha, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 1, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 220-311 : 259

Suncus megalura Jentink 1888

Suncus megalura Jentink 1888 , Notes Leyden Mus., 10: 48.

Type Locality: Liberia, Junk River, Schieffelinsville.

Vernacular Names: Climbing Shrew.

Synonyms: Suncus angolensis ( Roberts 1929) ; Suncus gemmeus (Heller 1910) ; Suncus infuscus ( Thomas 1915) ; Suncus irene ( Thomas 1915) ; Suncus phaeopus ( Osgood 1936) ; Suncus sheppardi (Kershaw 1921) ; Suncus sorella (Thomas 1898) ; Suncus sorelloides (Lönnberg 1912) .

Distribution: Tropical forest and Guinea savanna zone of Africa from Upper Guinea to Ethiopia and south to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc) as Sylvisorex megalura .

Discussion: Until recently placed in genus Sylvisorex , but genetic data (Querouil et al., 2001) show that S. megalura is the sister species of the Indian S. dayi . Karyotype (2n = 48, FN = 96) described by Meylan (1975). A common African species of forest edges and forested savannas; range mapped by Hutterer et al. (1987 b). Gureev (1979:381) listed sorella as a distinct species without comment. Some geographic variation exists, the Central African forest populations being smallest and darkest. For synonyms see Heim de Balsac and Meester (1977:7-8).