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Sorex preblei

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Preble's Shrew
(Sorex preblei)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Eulipotyphla
Suborder:Erinaceota
Family:Soricidae
Subfamily:Soricinae
Tribe:Soricini
Genus:Sorex
Subgenus:Otisorex
Species group:Sorex cinereus group
Binomial details
Sorex preblei H. H. T. Jackson, 1922

Molecular analyses conducted by Hope et al. (2012) found that the "two distinct evolutionary units, previously considered as Sorex preblei, approach inter-specific levels of divergence that characterize other nominal shrews. Although initial morphological analyses formed the basis of species descriptions associated with this complex, our genetic assessment points toward the need for a comprehensive revision, with additional specimens from more locations..."

The dark green area on the distribution map to the right is that of Sorex preblei based on molecular analyses conducted by Hope et al. (2012). The green hash shading on the map includes the distribution of this species based on earlier morphological studies (see Ports & George 1990; Cornely et al. 1992; Verts & Carraway 1998; Shohfi et al. 2006).

Description

For Oregon, from Verts & Carraway (1998): "The pelage is medium dark-brown to very dark-gray on the dorsum and silvery gray on the venter; the venter color extends high on the sides. The tail is bicolored, medium dark-brown on the dorsal surface, white on the ventral surface, and darkening toward the tip."

From Cornely et al. (1992): "Sorex preblei is a very small shrew with grayish pelage on the dorsum and silvery pelage on the venter (Bailey, 1936; Larrison and Johnson , 1981). The I1 [upper incisor] has a median tine, U3 [third upper unicuspid] is as large as or larger than U4, condylobasal length is 14.0-14.8 mm, and maxillary breadth is ≤ 4.2 mm... Like other members of the genus, Sorex preblei has a long pointed snout, small eyes, somewhat conspicuous ears, and pentadactyl plantigrade feet. The feet are buffy colored (Bailey, 1936). The tail is bicolored, olive brown above and hazel below darkening toward the tip (Bailey, 1936; Jackson, 1922). The tine on the medial edge of I1 [upper incisor] is long, acutely pointed, and set within the pigmented area (Carraway and Verts, in press).... Sorex preblei is among the smallest members of the genus in North America."

External measurements

Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.

Part of range Reference Total length Tail length Hindfoot length Ear length Mass
Colorado Armstrong et al. (2010) 77–95 28–38 7–11 2.8–4.1
Oregon Verts & Carraway (1998) 75–99 29–40 10–12 1.9–2.3
rangewide Cornely et al. (1992) 77–95 28–38 7–11 8–11
rangewide Naughton (2012) 77–95 28–38 7–11 8–11 2.1–4.1
rangewide Wilson & Ruff (editors, 1999) 77–95 28–38 2.1–4.1


Skull

Sorex preblei skull characters
units in mm
Skull
Condylobasal length:13.8–14.6 (Hoffman et al., 1969); less than or equal to 14.8 (Carraway, 1998); 13.8–15.1 (Álvarez-Castañeda, 2024)
Postmandibular canal:Absent
Shape:Skull relatively flat
Dental
Upper unicuspids:5
Unicuspid notes:U3>U4; U1–U4 are in an almost graduated series
Tines present:Yes
Tine size:Long, acutely pointed
Tine position:Below upper limit of pigment on upper incisors
Shape upper incisors:Diverging

Third upper unicuspids are larger in size than the fourth upper unicuspids.

For Oregon, from Verts & Carraway (1998): "The anteromedial tine on I1 is long, acutely pointed, and set within the pigmented area." Additionally, "The skull is delicate and jewel-like; it is ≤ 14.8 mm long with a mandibular toothrow < 4.2 mm long and a maxillary breadth ≤ 4.2 mm. The mandible is < 6.6 mm long and is deeper than the height of M1s that exhibit even moderate wear."

  • Dorsal view of the skull of Sorex preblei from Harney County, Oregon.
  • Ventral view of the skull of Sorex preblei from Harney County, Oregon.
  • Lateral view of the skull of Sorex preblei. Lower jaw is not shown. Large scale bar is 1 cm; short scale bar is 1 mm. Specimen was collected from Lassen Volcanic National Park, Shasta County, California.
  • Unicuspids of Sorex preblei, note: teeth are worn. Specimen was collected from Lassen Volcanic National Park, Shasta County, California.
  • Upper incisors of Sorex preblei, scale is 1 mm.
  • Upper incisors of Sorex preblei, scale is 1 mm.

Similar species

From Cornely et al. (1992): "Preble's shrew can be distinguished from sympatric congeners as follows: from S. merriami by the presence of a tine on the medial edge of I1 [upper incisor], a maxillary breadth ≤ 4.2 mm, a condylobasal length ≤ 14.8 mm, a grayish dorsum, and a silvery-colored venter (Hoffmann and Pattie, 1968; Verts and Carraway, 1984); from S. cinereus by a condylobasal length ≤ 14.8 mm (Hoffmann and Pattie, 1968); from S. haydeni by a length of the mandibular toothrow < 4.2 mm; and from other Sorex by U3 being as large as or larger than U4 and the foramen magnum set low on the occiput (Ingles, 1965; Junge and Hoffmann, 1981; Larrison and Johnson, 1981). Additionally, it can be separated from S. monticolus by a much shorter mandible < 6.6 mm) and S. nanus by the dentary below ml being much deeper than the height of ml at the metaconid and higher (> 2.9 mm) coronoid process (Mullican and Carraway, 1990)."

References

Álvarez-Castañeda ST. 2024. Order Eulipotyphla. In Mammals of North America-Volume 1: Systematics and Taxonomy (pp. 397-513). Cham (Switzerland): Springer Nature Switzerland.

Armstrong DM, Fitzgerald JP, Meaney CA. 2010. Mammals of Colorado, Second Edition. Denver (CO, USA): University Press of Colorado.

Bailey V. 1936. The mammals and life zones of Oregon. North American Fauna 55 :1-416.

Cornely JE, Carraway LN, Verts BJ. 1992. Sorex preblei. Mammalian Species (416): 1-3.

Hoffman RS, Pattie DL. 1968. A guide to Montana mammals: identification, habitat, distribution and abundance. University of Montana, Missoula, 133 pp.

Hoffman RS, Wright PL, Newby FE. 1969. The distribution of some mammals in Montana. I. Mammals other than bats. Journal of Mammalogy 50:579-604.

Iingles LG. 1965. Mammals of the Pacific states: California, Oregon, and Washington. Stanford (CA, USA_: Stanford University Press, 506 pp.

Jackson HHT. 1922. New species and subspecies of Sorex from western America. Journal of the Washington Academy of Science 12:262-264.

Junge JA, Hoffman RS. 1981. An annotated key to the long-tailed shrews (Genus Sorex) of the United States and Canada with notes on middle American Sorex. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural History, The University of Kansas, Lawrence Kansas. Number 94; Pages 1-48.

Larrison EJ, Johnson DR. 1981. Mammals of Idaho. Moscow (ID, USA): University Press of Idaho.

Mullican TR, Carraway LN. 1990. Shrew remains from Moonshiner and Middle Butte caves, Idaho. Journal of Mammalogy 71:351-356.

Naughton D. 2012. The natural history of Canadian mammals. Toronto (ON, CA): University of Toronto Press.

Ports MA, George SB. 1990. Sorex preblei in the northern Great Basin. The Great Basin Naturalist 50(1): 93-95.

Shohfi HE, Conroy CJ, Wilhelm AR, Patton JL. 2006. New records of Sorex preblei and S. tenellus in California. The Southwestern Naturalist 51(1): 108-111.

Verts BJ, Carraway LN. 1984. Keys to the mammals of Oregon. O.S.U. Book Stores, Inc., Corvallis, Oregon, 178 pp.

Verts BJ, Carraway LN. 1998. Land mammals of Oregon. Berkeley (CA, USA): University of California Press.

Wilson DE, Ruff S, editors. 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Washington D.C. (USA): Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.

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