Identification and Distribution of Masked and Hayden's Shrews (genus Sorex) in Iowa

Authors

Howard P. Whidden, Central CollegeFollow
Alison W. Ray, Central College
John B. Bowles, Centeral CollegeFollow

Document Type

Research

Keywords

Soricidae, Sorex cinereus, Sorex haydeni, identification, distribution, morphometrics, Iowa mammals, biogeography

Abstract

Masked shrews (Sorex cinereus) and Hayden's shrews (S. haydeni) are both reported from Iowa, but the two species are difficult to tell apart and their relative distributions in Iowa have been unclear. We took 13 skull measurements and examined 2 qualitative features on more than 300 specimens of Sorex from Iowa. The vast majority of our specimens could be identified easily by cranial measurements, and more than half could be identified by the relative position of the maxillary plate. We found no evidence for intergradation between the two species. Masked shrews are present throughout most of Iowa, whereas Hayden's shrews are restricted largely to the western half of the state. Although Hayden's shrew is found mainly in areas of Iowa where grasslands predominate, we could not identify any clear habitat associations for the two species. Hayden's shrew may reach the eastern limits of its range in the grassland areas of northeastern Iowa.

Publication Date

March-June 2002

Journal Title

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

109

Issue

1-2

First Page

19

Last Page

24

Copyright

© Copyright 2002 by the Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

EN

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Whidden, Howard P.; Ray, Alison W.; and Bowles, John B. (2002) "Identification and Distribution of Masked and Hayden's Shrews (genus Sorex) in Iowa," Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS, 109(1-2), 19-24.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/jias/vol109/iss1/5