Barren Ground Shrew

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iBarren Ground Shrew

Conservation status

Least concern (LR/lc)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Insectivora
Family:	Soricidae
Genus:	Sorex
Species:	S. ugyunak

Binomial name

Sorex ugyunak
(Anderson & Rand, 1945)

The Barren Ground Shrew or Barrenground Shrew, Sorex ugyunak, is a small shrew found in northern Canada west of Hudson Bay and in Alaska. At one time, this species was considered to be a subspecies of the similar Masked Shrew, S. cinereus. It is similar in appearance and thought to be closely related to the Saint Lawrence Island Shrew (S. jacksoni) and Pribilof Island Shrew (S. hydrodromus).

It is dark brown on its back with grey-brown sides and underparts; the tail is pale brown on top and light below with a light brown tip. Its body is about 8 cm in length including a 3 cm long tail. It weighs about 4 g.

These animals are found north of the tree-line, in wet meadows or thickets in the tundra.

They eat insects, small invertebrates and seeds.

The species name ugyunak is the Inuit word for "shrew".

[edit] References

Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Sorex ugyunak. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern