Sicilian shrew

Sicilian shrew[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Soricidae
Genus:	Crocidura
Species:	C. sicula
Binomial name
Crocidura sicula Miller, 1900
Sicilian shrew range

The Sicilian shrew (Crocidura sicula) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Sicily (Italy) and Gozo (Malta). Its natural habitat is temperate shrubland.

Distribution and habitat[]

It is present in Sicily and Ustica (C. s. sicula), in the Egadi Islands (C. s. aegatensis) and in Gozo (C. s. calypso).

It lives in open environments of gariga and Mediterranean scrub but also within lyce, cork and beech forest formations, from 0 to 1,800 m above sea level. Sometimes it is also present within citrus groves and cultivated areas as well as, rarely, in rural dwellings.

Subspecies[]

Four subspecies of the Sicilian shrew are found:

Crocidura sicula ssp. calypso[]

The species that is found on the island of Gozo (part of Malta) has recently been defined as a different subspecies.^[3]

Crocidura sicula ssp. sicula[]

This subspecies is native to the island of Sicily.^[3]

Crocidura sicula ssp. aegatensis[]

This subspecies is found only on the Aegadian Islands.^[3]

Crocidura sicula ssp. esuae[]

This subspecies is known as fossil form from the Middle Pleistocene of Sicily.

See also[]

• Endemic Maltese wildlife

References[]

This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

• Sarà M. & Vitturi R. "Crocidura populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the sicilian–maltese insular area" (PDF). Hystrix, 1996; 8 (1–2): 121–132. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-15.

This article about a white-toothed shrew is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

• v
• t