Sorex maritimensis R. W. Smith 1939

27.

Maritime Shrew

Sorex maritimensis

French: Musaraigne des Maritimes / German: Nova-Scotia-Spitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana maritima

Taxonomy. Sorex arcticus maritimensis R. W. Smith, 1939,

“ Wolfville, Kings County, Nova Scotia,” Canada.

Sorex maritimensis is currently included in the arcticus group in the subgenus Sorex with S. arcticus, of which it was originally included as a subspecies. Sorex arcticus and S. maritimensis might have had a common ancestor c.2-4 million years ago. Monotypic.

Distribution. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, SE Canada.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 60-72 mm, tail 37-42 mm, ear 7-8 mm, hindfoot 13-14 mm; weight 7-8 g. The Maritime Shrew is medium-sized. Pelage is tricolored, with dark brown back, yellowish brown sides, and yellowish gray venter; dorsum,sides, and venter are sharply demarcated from each other. Feet are dark; ears are short and barely extend past fur. Tail is ¢.60% of head-body length and indistinctly bicolored, being dark brown above and lighter below. Tooth ridges (except on unicuspids as in other members of the subgenus Sorex) are pigmented dark red, and there are five unicuspids gradually getting smaller from first to fifth, which is significantly smaller than the fourth. The Maritime Shrew has smaller and flatter skull, less tapered rostrum, and more noticeably arched maxillary tooth row than in the Arctic Shrew (S. arcticus). Chromosomal complement has 2n = 28 (females) or 29 (males) and FN = 34.

Habitat. Edges of freshwater swamps and marshes overgrown with tangles of grasses and rushes.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Maritime Shrew is poorly known, is considered rare, and has a relatively fragmented and small distribution that is vulnerable to changes caused from global warming (e.g. increased flooding).

Bibliography. Perry et al. (2004), Smith (1939), Stewart et al. (2002), Volobouev & van Zyll de Jong (1988), van Zyll de Jong (1983).