Cytotaxonomy of shrews of the Genus Crocidura from Mediterranean Islands

Abstract

Thanks to chromosome studies it was possible to review the taxonomic status of many insular populations of shrews and to demonstrate the presence of four distinct species. Two of these, C. Russula and C. suaveolens, are of continental origin and have been introduced on the islands by man. On the contrary, the other two species, C. sicula from Sicily and Gozo, and C. zimmermanni from Crete, are not known from continental land masses and we consider them to be survivors from the insular faunas of the Pleistocene.