Origin and evolution of the endemic Canary Island shrews (Mammalia: Soricidae) |
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| Authors: | RAINER HUTTERER TIZIANO MADDALENA OBDULIA M. MOLINA |
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| Affiliation: | Museum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 162, D 5300 Bonn 1, Germany;Institut de zoologie et d'écologie animate, Universitéde Lausanne, CH 1015 Lausanne-Dorigny, Switzerland;Jardin Botdnico Canario, Aptdo. Correos, 14 de Tafira Alta, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Until recently the North Atlantic Islands were believed to house only mammals introduced by humans. Recent work has demonstrated that at least the Canary Islands house(d) a native mammal fauna. New data including chromosome numbers, genetic distances and analysis of vocalizations are given for the two extant shrew species, Crocidura canariensis and C. osorio , and their possible sister taxa are evaluated. Evidence is presented for the hypothesis that the two island species originated from two different lineages of the Palaearctic branch of the genus Crocidura. The data support the present status of the Canary Island shrews as local endemics of high conservation priority. |
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| Keywords: | Canary Islands shrews island evolution conservation |
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