Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Abstract

We describe a new species of shrew (Soricomorpha, Soricidae, Crocidura) from Mt. Gede, West Java, Indonesia. Relative to other Javan shrews, the new species is small with a relatively thick, dark brown, medium-length tail. The new species is known only from the type locality at 1,611 and 1,950 m elevation on Mt. Gede. It occurs syntopically with at least 3 other Crocidura species: C. orientalis, C. abscondita, and C. monticola. Phylogenetically, the new species is nested among sympatric and allopatric populations of C. monticola. Although topological inferences differ slightly between the mtDNA gene tree and multilocus species tree, the new species renders C. monticola paraphyletic in all inferences when populations of the latter from across Java are analyzed. Despite the close relationship, the new species is absolutely larger (no overlap in measurement ranges) than the sympatric population of C. monticola for all 11 cranial characters measured and for tail length. The new species averages larger for all external and cranial measurements than C. monticola sampled from 4 mountains spread across Java, including the sympatric samples. The smaller external and cranial measurements of the Mt. Gede population of C. monticola compared to populations allopatric from the new species indicate possible character displacement. Population genetic analyses suggest this morphological divergence evolved despite asymmetric gene flow from the new species into the Mt. Gede population of C. monticola. Six species of Crocidura are now known from Java, 5 of which are endemic to the island.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of Mammalogy

First Page

183

Last Page

193

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