Blarina shermani
| Sherman's Short-tailed Shrew
(Blarina shermani) | |
|---|---|
| Range | |
 | |
| Taxonomic classification | |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Suborder: | Erinaceota |
| Superfamily: | Soricoidea |
| Family: | Soricidae |
| Subfamily: | Soricinae |
| Tribe: | Blarinini |
| Genus: | Blarina |
| Binomial details | |
| Blarina shermani W. J. Hamilton, 1955 | |
| Other resources | |
| Full taxonomic details at MDD | |
Sherman's Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina shermani) is a slate grayish black shrew that occupies grassy areas within a small area in southwestern Florida. Previously a subspecies of Blarina carolinensis, Blarina shermani was elevated to species status based on larger size and cranial morphology by Benedict et al. (2006). However, preliminary research by Mathis and Mathieu (2023) suggests: "Individuals from type locality of B. shermani and nearby localities do not appear to be genetically distinct from B. peninsulae. Blarina in Florida form 2 strongly supported clades: B. carolinensis and B. peninsulae. B. peninsulae is equally divergent from B. c. carolinensis as B. c. carolinensis is from B. c. minima."
Description
From Benedict et al. (2006): "The two most diagnostic features of this species are its size and color. External and cranial size of B. shermani are about intermediate for the genus but are larger than in other taxa of Blarina in Florida. As noted by Hamilton (1955:37), "The dark pelage, without a trace of brown, combined with the larger size, both in body proportions and skull, serves to distinguish this Blarina from other Florida races."
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holotype USNM 514828 (Lee County, Florida) | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History | 115 | 23 | 15 | 14 |
Skull
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Holotype: USNM 514828. Blarina shermani. Adult female. Two mi (3.2 km) North Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Collected 13 February 1954. Dorsal view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 514828. Blarina shermani. Adult female. Two mi (3.2 km) North Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Collected 13 February 1954. Ventral view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 514828. Blarina shermani. Adult female. Two mi (3.2 km) North Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Collected 13 February 1954. Lateral view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 514828. Blarina shermani. Adult female. Two mi (3.2 km) North Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Collected 13 February 1954. Dorsal view of the mandible. -
Holotype: USNM 514828. Blarina shermani. Adult female. Two mi (3.2 km) North Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida. Collected 13 February 1954. Lateral view of the left mandible.
Similar species
The range of Blarina shermani overlaps with other small Blarina species, identification using external characters may be difficult.
References
Benedict RA, Genoways HH, Choate JR. 2006. Taxonomy of short-tailed shrews (genus Blarina) in Florida. Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum, p.103.
Hamilton WJ Jr. 1955. A new subspecies of Blarina brevicauda from Florida. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 68, 37.
Mathis VL, Mathieu R. 2023. Investigating the species status of Sherman’s short-tailed shrew (Blarina shermani): preliminary insights [Poster presentation]. 13th International Mammalogical Congress. Anchorage Alaska USA 14-20 July 2023.