Post-Pleistocene evolution of Bornean shrews Crocidura foetida (Mammalia, Soricidae) |
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Authors: | EARL OF CRANBROOK PHILIP J PIPER |
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Institution: | International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, c/o Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Archaeological Studies Programme, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines |
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Abstract: | Fossil mandibles of the Bornean shrew Crocidura foetida recovered from excavations at the west mouth of Niah cave, Sarawak, Malaysia, show that the late Pleistocene population at this lowland location was comparable in size with the large subspecies Crocidura foetida doriae , presently occurring at inland, upland locations. Two Holocene specimens fall in the size range of the smaller lowland subspecies C. f. foetida . Comparable post-Pleistocene size-reduction is known among other mammals of Borneo, but this is the first instance of dated examples. The evolutionary trend conforms with Bergmann's 'rule' but, other than climate change, no selective agent is apparent. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 94 , 413–419. |
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Keywords: | holocene mammals Niah Sabah Sarawak Soricomorpha zooarchaeology |
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