<em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area
<strong>Abstract</strong> Recent studies have shown the presence of a new endemic species of Soricidae, <em>Crocidura sicula</em>, in the Mediterranean area. Its karyotype consists of 36 chromosomes (NF = 56, NFa = 52) as previously recorded i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Associazione Teriologica Italiana
1996-12-01
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| Series: | Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/4101 |
| _version_ | 1811265944679350272 |
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| author | Maurizio Sarà Roberto Vitturi |
| author_facet | Maurizio Sarà Roberto Vitturi |
| author_sort | Maurizio Sarà |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <strong>Abstract</strong> Recent studies have shown the presence of a new endemic species of Soricidae, <em>Crocidura sicula</em>, in the Mediterranean area. Its karyotype consists of 36 chromosomes (NF = 56, NFa = 52) as previously recorded in specimens from Sicily and Gozo (Malta). Karyological analysis carried out in the present study on specimens from Marettimo (Egadi) and Ustica and on two additional Sicilian localities proved the presence of the same <em>C. sicula</em> karyotype. The multivariate analysis of skull and mandible of these populations revealed a pattern of geographic variation which is mainly related to a size decrease (76% of the total variability accounted for) in shrews living in the small islands around Sicily. The body biometrics of these insular shrews follows this trend, with some exceptions such as in Ustica, where shrews are relatively bigger. The shrews from Ustica show also melanic fur, which is darker than the grey-witheish colour found in conspecific populations. Such a phenotype could be the result of adaptation to the volcanic environment on this island. This latter population is, of all the small islands, the most divergent and differentiated from the mother-island; if considering its skull morphometrics (i.e. the residual 24% of total variability) and its body biometrics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:33:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a3ca38892c8c479b80a387825ee427bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0394-1914 1825-5272 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:33:05Z |
| publishDate | 1996-12-01 |
| publisher | Associazione Teriologica Italiana |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy |
| spelling | doaj.art-a3ca38892c8c479b80a387825ee427bc2022-12-22T03:17:40ZengAssociazione Teriologica ItalianaHystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy0394-19141825-52721996-12-0181-210.4404/hystrix-8.1-2-4101<em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular areaMaurizio SaràRoberto Vitturi<strong>Abstract</strong> Recent studies have shown the presence of a new endemic species of Soricidae, <em>Crocidura sicula</em>, in the Mediterranean area. Its karyotype consists of 36 chromosomes (NF = 56, NFa = 52) as previously recorded in specimens from Sicily and Gozo (Malta). Karyological analysis carried out in the present study on specimens from Marettimo (Egadi) and Ustica and on two additional Sicilian localities proved the presence of the same <em>C. sicula</em> karyotype. The multivariate analysis of skull and mandible of these populations revealed a pattern of geographic variation which is mainly related to a size decrease (76% of the total variability accounted for) in shrews living in the small islands around Sicily. The body biometrics of these insular shrews follows this trend, with some exceptions such as in Ustica, where shrews are relatively bigger. The shrews from Ustica show also melanic fur, which is darker than the grey-witheish colour found in conspecific populations. Such a phenotype could be the result of adaptation to the volcanic environment on this island. This latter population is, of all the small islands, the most divergent and differentiated from the mother-island; if considering its skull morphometrics (i.e. the residual 24% of total variability) and its body biometrics.http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/4101KaryotypeMorphometrics |
| spellingShingle | Maurizio Sarà Roberto Vitturi <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy Karyotype Morphometrics |
| title | <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area |
| title_full | <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area |
| title_fullStr | <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area |
| title_full_unstemmed | <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area |
| title_short | <em>Crocidura</em> populations (Mammalia, Soricidae) from the Sicilian-Maltese insular area |
| title_sort | lt em gt crocidura lt em gt populations mammalia soricidae from the sicilian maltese insular area |
| topic | Karyotype Morphometrics |
| url | http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/4101 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mauriziosara ltemgtcrociduraltemgtpopulationsmammaliasoricidaefromthesicilianmalteseinsulararea AT robertovitturi ltemgtcrociduraltemgtpopulationsmammaliasoricidaefromthesicilianmalteseinsulararea |