Museum, University of Nebraska State
Date of this Version
12-1-1967
Citation
Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington (December 1, 1967) 80: 203-206.
Abstract
From July 6 to 11, 1966, vertebrates were collected on Volcan de Fuego, Jalisco, for the Museum of Natural History,the University of Kansas, by Hugh H. Genoways and Percy L. Clifton. On July 10, a shrew of the genus Cryptotis was obtained on a steep slope across the valley to the north of the active cone of the volcano. The specimen was caught in a steel trap placed in the tunnel of a pocket gopher; because the opening had not been covered after the trap was set, it could not be determined whether the shrew was using the tunnel as a runway or had entered the opening.
Vegetation on the complex of mountains that includes Volcán de Fuego consists of pine-oak forest up to about 7500 ft.; fir, first appearing at 7,500 ft., becomes dominant between 8,500 and 10,000 ft. and occurs in sheltered areas up to 12,000 ft.; bunchgrass occurs above 12,000 ft. and on exposed slopes as low as 9,000 ft. (see Goldman, 1951:181; Baker and Phillips, 1965:691). Vegetation at the site (9,800 ft.) where our shrew was captured consisted of bunchgrass interspersed with low deciduous bushes and small coniferous trees.
The brain case was broken into many fragments by the trap, but the pelage and the remainder of the skull were not damaged. The specimen represents an heretofore unknown species that is named and described.
Comments
Copyright 1967, Biological Society of Washington. Used by permission.