Crocidura rhoditis

COMPARISONS: Crocidura rhoditis is larger than all Sulawesi Crocidura except C. elongata, C. quasielongata, C. nigripes, and the two Thick- Tailed Group members, C. brevicauda and C. caudicrassa. Its mass-to-HBL ratio is greater than in all other species except C. caudicrassa (fig. 17) and its relative rostral length (RL / CIL) is greater than in all other species (fig. 10). The tail of C. rhoditis is much shorter absolutely and relative to body length than in members of the Long-Tailed Group, but longer absolutely than in all other species except C. pseudorhoditis (fig. 9). The dorsal pelage of C. rhoditis is similar in color to C. elongata, darker than C. quasielongata, and paler than C. nigripes. The feet of C. rhoditis are paler than those of most other species, with the excep- tions of C. lea (much smaller), C. pallida (smaller), C. elongata (longer tail), and C. quasielongata (longer tail). Within the Rhoditis Group, C. rhoditis is easily confused with C. pseudorhoditis, its apparent sister species, but it is larger in all dimensions than the other two members of the Rhoditis Group, C. australis and C. pallida. Both C. rhoditis and C. pseudorhoditis have a pale integument, but C. rhoditis is larger, slightly paler, and has a narrower thenar pad on the hind foot (fig. 21). Although differences in body length are modest (fig. 23), C. rhoditis is stockier than C. pseudorhoditis (fig. 17) and size differences are apparent in condyloincisive length and braincase breadth (fig. 23; table 7). In addition to the greater relative rostral length mentioned above, C. rhoditis also has a lesser relative interorbital width (IOW / CIL) than all other members of the Rhoditis Group (fig. 10). The narrowness of the interorbital region is also reflected in that it is lesser relative to braincase breadth (IOW / BB) in C. rhoditis compared to C. pseudorhoditis, whereas braincase breadth relative to skull length (BB / CIL) does not differ appreciably between the two species (figs. 10, 22). The skull of C. rhoditis has a prominent ridge at the suture of the squamosal and parietal bones. This ridge is present, but less conspicuous in C. pseudorhoditis. A PCA of cranial measurements largely separates these two taxa along the first axis, which represents size (fig. 19; table 6). The differences in size measurements between C. rhoditis and its sister species are somewhat more pronounced when only syntopically sampled specimens from Mt. Ambang are considered (fig. 23), perhaps indicating a role for character displacement in these species.

Sumber: Fourteen New, Endemic Species Of Shrew (Genus Crocidura) From Sulawesi Reveal A Spectacular Island Radiation

DISTRIBUTION: Tropical rainforest of N, C, and SW Sulawesi (Musser, 1987).

Sumber: Order Insectivora

Habitat. Tropical, mostly humid and mossy primary forests in lowlands and mountains at elevations of 200 - 3000 m. Records suggest that the Temboan White-toothed Shrew can adapt to secondary forests. Ability to adapt to human structures outside forests is unknown.

Sumber: Soricidae

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Sumber: Soricidae

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Temboan White-toothed Shrew is widespread and likely occurs in protected areas. Its population is presumably large and relatively stable. It does not appear to be subject to any major adverse effects at present. In lowlands, deforestation, conversion to agricultural land, and man-made fires could pose threats if it cannot adapt to resulting habitats.

Sumber: Soricidae

Descriptive notes. Head-body 84 - 88 mm, tail 69 - 74 mm, hindfoot 16 - 1 - 16 - 8 mm; weight 11: 6 - 13 - 2 g. The Temboan White-toothed Shrew is one of the larger species of shrews in Sulawesi. Dorsal pelage is dark grayish or reddish brown. Fur is dense and soft, except around nose. Ventral pelage is lighter, mixed with pale cinnamon brown. Tail is dark brown, with white tip, and it is covered with very small hairs. There are some long light-colored bristle hairs on basal one-halfof tail. Forefeet and hindfeet are whitish to pinkish; uppersides are lighter than footpads. Skull is larger than that of the Black-footed White-toothed Shrew (C. nigripes), and rostrum is relatively heavy. Profile of skull is flat and not as spherical as that of the Mossy Forest White-toothed Shrew (C. mussert). Posterior part of palate is broader, and interorbital narrowing in the Temboan White-toothed Shrew is farther back than in other species. Greatest skull lengths are 22 - 7 - 23 - 6 mm. Third upper unicuspid is bigger than second. Karyotype is 2 n = 30.

Sumber: Soricidae