Sorex camischaticus Yudin 1972

72.

Kamchatka Shrew

Sorex camischaticus

French: Musaraigne du Kamtchatka / German: Kamschatka-Spitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana de Kamchatka

Taxonomy. Sorex camtschatica [sic] Yudin, 1972,

Kambalnaya Gulf, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

Widely used specific name camischatica has been changed for gender agreement. Evi- dence from mtDNA and nDNA sequences classifies S. camtschaticus in the S. cinereus group and subgenus Ofisorex, which occurs mostly in North America. Palearctic species of Otisorex (S. camischaticus, S. portenkoi, and S. leucogaster) are virtually iden-

tical in mtDNA and nDNA structures. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to NE Russian Far East (Magadan Region and Kamchatka Krai).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 50-68 mm,tail 43-54 mm; weight 3-7-6 g. Tail of the Kamchatka Shrew is up to 85% of head-body length. Pelage is tricolored, which is particularly distinct in juveniles. Dorsum is dark brown, sides are grayish brown, and venteris gray. Pelage contrast is less distinct in juveniles. Tail is bicolored, dark brown above, and gray below.

Habitat. Deciduousvalley forests with well-developed grasses and substantiallitter layer in Kamchatka and exclusively floodplain forests outside the peninsula. The Kamchatka Shrew is common, but it is often a subdominant one-third in abundance in the shrew community on Kamchatka and is extremely rare on the north coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Kamchatka Shrew consists mainly of larval and adult small beetles, lepidopteran larvae and pupae, dipteran larvae, spiders, and rarely small earthworms and myriapods.

Breeding. Overwintering female Kamchatka Shrews produce up to three litters/year, with 3-11 young/litter. Few female young-of-the-year reproduce. Breeding season lasts five months and ends in late September.

Activity patterns. Daily activity patterns of Kamchatka Shrew are probably similar to those of other species, such as Laxmann’s Shrew (S. caecutiens).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Kamchatka Shrew has a small distribution that could affect its conservation status.

Bibliography. Andreev et al. (2006).