Sorex vagrans Baird 1858

• Main Authors: Russell A. Mittermeier, Don E. Wilson
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2018
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Soricomorpha; Soricidae; Sorex; Sorex vagrans; Tundra
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6869746; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/3D474A54A033875FFF25AD171BB2F5A7

75. Vagrant Shrew Sorex vagrans French: Musaraigne errante / German: \Wanderspitzmaus / Spanish: Musarana errante Other common names: Salt Marsh Shrew, Wandering Shrew Taxonomy. Sorex vagrans Baird, 1858, “ Shoalwater Bay, W.T. [= Willapa Bay, Pa- cific Co., Washington],” USA. Sorex vagrans is in the S. vagrans group and subgenus Otisorex along with S. ornatus. The S. vagrans group is sister to a clade including the S. palustris group, the S. sonomae group, and the S. monticolus group. Sorex orizabae has been included in S. vagrans but is considered a distinct species here. Three subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. S.v.vagransBaird,1858—SBritishColumbia(includingVancouverI)andextremeSWAlberta(SWCanada),Washington,Oregon,Idaho,WMontana,extremeWWyomying,N&CCalifornia,N&CNevada,andN&WCUtah(WUSA). S.v.halicoetesGrinnell,1913—SantaClaraCounty,WCCalifornia(SWUSA). S. v. paludivagus von Bloeker, 1939 — Monterey County, WC California (SW USA). Descriptive notes. Head—body 56-71 mm, tail 32-50 mm, hindfoot 12-14 mm; weight 3-9 g. The Vagrant Shrew is medium-sized. Dorsum is dull brown to grayish brown, and venter is grayish. Tail is relatively short, narrow, and either unicolored dull brown or slightly bicolored, being slightly paler below. Teeth are pigmented dark red, and pigmentation on I' occurs to the point where teeth meet, while pigmented tines are positioned above level of pigmentation on incisors. There are five unicuspids, third is smaller than fourth, and fifth is minute. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 54 and FN = 58-64. Habitat. Most commonly open moist areas, with few trees and dense ground cover, from sea level to elevations of ¢.2100 m. Vagrant Shrews often prefer lower elevations, and in British Columbia, they are usually below 400 m. The Vagrant Shrew has been recorded in a variety of habitats, including alpine tundra, bunchgrass, wet meadows, grassy meadows, riparian zones, swamps, bogs, forest openings, and coniferous forests. They are less likely to be found in dense ...