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Sorex sp. SW

From WhiskerWiki

Sorex sp. SW
(undescribed)
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 sp. SW Hope et al., 2012

Sorex sp. SW remains undescribed, but was identified as a distinct genetic lineage by Hope et al. (2012). Hope et al. noted: "All the arid-land species (S. lyelli, S. sp. RM, and S. sp. SW), together with S. preblei, form a weakly supported clade." Hope et al. (2012) point to the need for a comprehensive revision.

From Hope et al. (2012): "Lower-latitude members of the Beringian clade include S. lyelli (previously allied to the Southern clade) as sister-taxon to S. sp. RM (the latter which are here considered separately from S. preblei); both S. lyelli and S. sp. RM are closely allied to high-latitude species. Specimens from the southwestern United States (Jemez and San Juan mountains; S. sp. SW) are reciprocally monophyletic (Cyt b) with S. haydeni from the central Great Plains, a relationship first described by Demboski and Cook (2003)."

Description

Hope et al. (2012) places S. sp. SW within the Beringian clade of the Sorex cinereus group based on solely on genetic evidence. While no formal species description exists, its placement within the Beringian clade implies that it may be more similar morphologically to S. lyelli and S. preblei than to other members of the Sorex cinereus group, including S. cinereus sensu stricto. However, because Sorex sp. SW remains undescribed, there are no characters formally published for differentiating S. sp. SW from sympatric species.

References

Demboski JR, Cook JA. 2003. Phylogenetic diversification within the Sorex cinereus group (Soricidae). Journal of Mammalogy 84(1): 144-158.

Hope AG, Speer KA, Demboski JR, Talbot SL, Cook JA. 2012. A climate for speciation: rapid spatial diversification within the Sorex cinereus complex of shrews. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 64(3): 671-684.

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