A Morphometric Analysis of the Sorex cinereus Group in Central and Eastern North America

Abstract

Canonical-variate analysis of cranial variables and analysis of qualitative skull characters of shrews of the Sorex cinereus group were undertaken to elucidate relationships and to study geographic variation. Results of these analyses support separation of Sorex haydeni and S. cinereus as independent species, but do not support specific status for other taxa studied. Contiguously distributed taxa, cinereus, fontinalis, lesueurii, and ohionensis, constitute a group of morphologically overlapping forms; the allopatric milleri is somewhat peripheral, yet morphologically similar to cinereus. Geographic variation is characterized by existence of a larger form with a longer rostrum in the north (cinereus) and smaller forms with shorter rostra in the south (fontinalis, lesueurii). Ohio populations are transitional between cinereus and lesueurii, therefore ohionensis may not represent a valid subspecies. Sorex milleri apparently represents a relict population of S. cinereus and may not have attained specific status.