Smoky shrew
| Smoky shrew[1] | |
|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Soricomorpha |
| Family: | Soricidae |
| Genus: | Sorex |
| Species: | S. fumeus |
| Binomial name | |
| Sorex fumeus Miller, 1895 | |
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| Smoky shrew range | |
The smoky shrew (Sorex fumeus) is a medium-sized North American shrew found in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.
It is dull grey in colour with lighter underparts and a long tail which is brown on top and yellowish underneath. During winter, its fur is grey. Its body is about 11 cm in length including a 4 cm long tail and it weighs about 5 g.
This animal is found near streams in cool damp deciduous and mixed woods. Its range extends further south along the Appalachian Mountains. It makes extensive burrows in the leaf litter on the forest floor. It also uses tunnels created by moles or other shrews.
Its diet is insects, earthworms, snails and small rodents. Predators include owls, snakes and mustelids.
This animal is active year-round. The female has 2 to 3 litters of 5 to 7 young in a nest in a stump or under a log.
Subspecies
This species has two recognized subspecies:[1]
- Sorex fumeus fumeus
- Sorex fumeus umbrosus
References
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Wikispecies has information related to: Sorex fumeus |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M, eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 288. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ↑ Hammerson, G., Master, L. & Norris, S.J. (2008). "Sorex fumeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 08 February 2010.