Analysis of the morphometrics variability and intraspecific structure of Sorex minutissimus Zimmermann, 1780 (Lipotyphla: Soricidae) in Russia

Abstract

The morphometric relationships among 20 geographical samples of Sorex minutissimus from the Russian part of species range were examined using geometric morphometrics and linear measurements of skull and mandible. Previous studies showed significant differences between immature and mature shrews, and no significant differences between immature males and females. In this paper we propose a method for combining small-sized samples and algorithms for checking the adequacy of such an association. We have identified two main geographical groups of shrews, “Western” and “Eastern”, distinguished by the shape of the mandible; these groups combine samples from the European (S. m. minutissimus) and East-Eurasian (S. m. barabensis, S. m. abnormis, S. m. caudata, S. m. tschuktschorum and S. m. ussurensis) parts of the range. The agreement of our results with phylogeographic data allows us to distinguish two approaches to determining the amount of intraspecific units – “phylogeographic” and “environmental”. On the basis of “environmental” approach within the Russian range we propose to consider seven subspecies: S. m. minutissimus, S. m. barabensis, S. m. stroganovi, S. m. caudata, S. m. tschuktschorum, S. m. ussurensis and S. m. tscherskii.