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"SHREW TALK" - Vol. 1, No. 02 - 12 June 1997
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SHREW TALK - 12 June 1997 - Vol. 1, No. 2
Number of Recipients: xxx
Contents of this Issue
o Editorial
o Research
1. Sexing shrews
2. Re: Sexing shrews #1
3. Re: Sexing shrews #2
4. Re: Sexing shrews #3
o Shrew Bibliography: New Papers
o Whats New on the Shrew (ist's) Site?
o Shrew Leisure 1. Shrew ! music
o Shrew Talk Instructions
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o EDITORIAL
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Dear Shrew-Fessionals and Shrew-Mateurs,
We have about 30 newcomers to SHREW TALK since the first newsletter
on 10 June 1997. - Thank you.
For all those who now fear that their mailboxes will be filled by shrew
mail: Don't worry - I stated that the newsletter would be sent out "irregularly".
The first issues have to make up for all the unanswered mail I had lately.
I forgot to mention that those of you that are already on the list
"Shrewists on E-Mail", will receive the newsletter automatically.
You need not write to me, unless you want to be removed from Shrew Talk.
Another thing is that all replies to the Shrew Talk inquiries should be
posted to the group. However, if you prefer to reply to someone personally,
*I* would appreciate receiving a copy of the mail (Cc or Bcc) and/or a
summary of the "outcome".
This issue of Shrew Talk could be titled: "Sexing Shrews".
How to sex live caught shrews, has been a frequently asked question. I
intend to put up this topic on my web-site and would therefore encourage
everyone who has some experience in this to share it...
Your's shrewly, Werner
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o RESEARCH
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1) Date: Tue, 06 May 1997 14:30:56 +0300 From: Petros Lymberakis <nhmc_vtb@cc.uch.gr>
.......a problem that I have in practical recognizing the sex in Crocidura.
I have a series of bibliographical references more or less advanced but
none deals directly with the subject. Is there a morphological criterion
to recocgnize the sex or is a dissection needed? I would greatly appreciate
a hint on the subject or the title of a text I should refer to.
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2) From: dfw.kessler@saipan.com Date: Mon, 19 May 97 15:55:10 +1000
Subject: sex
Petros Lymberakis, We had this problem with Suncus. What we did was
to press gently with a finger or other instrument at the anterior of the
vent. This would cause the males to express the sexual organs. If nothing
then female. Often the adult females would show teats clearly on the inside
of the hind legs. Hope this is of some help and works for your species.
Curt Kessler Mariana Islands dfw.kessler@saipan.com _______________________________________________________________________
3) From: "Rod Baxter" <baxter@ufhcc.ufh.ac.za> Date:
Mon, 26 May 1997 10:07:47 GMT+120 Subject: Sexing Crocidura
Hi Petros,
For sexing Crocidura you need to attempt penile extrusion. The easiest
way is to anaethetize the shrew using ether. Blow ether fumes into a chamber
with the shrew, as soon as it loses balance and falls over, remove it and
hold it with its ventrum uppermost. Then press gently with two fingers
on either side of the ano-genital opening. If it is a male, the penis will
project out, if it is a female, obviously nothing will protrude.
If anaethetizing is not possible, hold the shrew firmly by the scruff
of its neck, and then try and protrude the penis. The shrew will struggle!!!!
This makes it quite difficult.
Good luck. Rod
----------------------------------------------------------
Rod Baxter e-mail: baxter@zoo.ufh.ac.za
Dept of Zoology fax: 27 [0]404-22168
University of Fort Hare tel: 22164 P/Bag X1314 5700 Alice
SOUTH AFRICA
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4) I found some references in 'The Shrew Bibliography' and thought
that I will send them to you before I leave...; If you have any further
literature on this topic, I would appreciate it, if you could give me the
titles. Sex discrimination in live shrews is very difficult. Young Sorex
species can be recognized as females by their teat spots (see ref. by Heggberget).
But this is not a sure criterium. Old adults and reproductively active
male shrews are easy to discriminate by their obvious large testes and
maybe the difference in development of the lateral scent glands.
Werner
References from The Shrew Bibliography:
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Becker, K. 1955 Ueber Art- und Geschlechtsunterschiede am Becken einheimischer
Spitzmaeuse (Soricidae). Z. Saeugetierk. 20: 78-88.
Butterfield, J., J.C. Coulson, S. Wanless 1981 Studies on the distribution,
food, breeding biology and relative abundance of the pygmy and common shrews
(Sorex minutus and S. araneus) in upland areas of northern England. J.
Zool., Lond. 195: 169-180.
Croin Michielsen, N. 1966 Intraspecific and interspecific competition
in the shrews S. araneus L. and S. minutus L. Arch. Neerl. Zool. 17: 73-174.
Heggberget, T.M. 1974 Sex determination in immature Sorex araneus L.
Fauna (Oslo) 27: 222-224.
Mystkowska, E.T. 1959 Cytologische Methode der Geschlechtsbestimmung
bei Embryonen und das Geschlechtsverhältnis bei Fetus von Sorex araneus
araneus L. Acta Theriol. 3(9): 121-140.
Rana, B.D., I. Prakash 1979 Reproductive biology and population structure
of the house shrew, Suncus murinus sindensis, in Western Rajasthan. Z.
Säugetierk. 44: 333-343.
Searle, J.B. 1985 Methods for determining the sex of common shrews
(Sorex araneus). J. Zool., Lond. 206 (2): 279-282.
Vogel, P. 1972 Beitrag zur Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Gattungen Sorex,
Neomys und Crocidura (Soricidae). Verhdl. Naturf. Ges. Basel 82(2): 165-192.
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o SHREW BIBLIOGRAPHY: New Papers
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ÒThe Shrew BibliographyÓ is a collection of more than 6000 references
to research on the biology of the Soricidae (Insectivora, Mammalia) and
small mammal ecology. More info: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewbib.html
To announce your new research papers/books, please follow the instructions
(separate fields with the character "#"):
Author(s)#Year#Title#Journal&Page No.#Abstract#Keywords#Address
*I* would appreciate receiving a reprint of your paper and/or a list
of your publications to add to the bibliography.
NEW PAPERS/BOOKS:
____________________________
Lopez-Jurado LF and Mateo JA (1996) Evidence of venom in the Canarian
shrew (Crocidura canariensis): immobilizing effects on the Atlantic lizard
(Gallotia atlantica). J.Zool. Lond. 239: 394-395. ____________________________
Origin and distribution of shrews, genus Crocidura, in Breton Islands
JF Cosson, M Pascal & F Bioret Vie Milieu, 1996, 46:233-244
____________________________
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o WHAT'S NEW ON THE SHREW (ist's) SITE?
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http://members.vienna.at/shrew
o Last Update: 12 June 1997
o Number of Visitors (Date: 9 June 1997): xxx
o Number of "Shrewists on E-mail": xxx _______________________________________________________________________
o New Pages: - 9 June 1997: Archives of SHREW TALK: http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewtalk.html
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o New Photos: none _______________________________________________________________________
o New Links: none _______________________________________________________________________
o General Modifications: The "Inquiry Bulletin Board" has
been augmented by the SHREW TALK newsletter. The inquiry section will remain
to contain "long-term" inquiries.
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o SHREW LEISURE
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1) From: "dac" <dac@adelphia.net> Subject: Shrew -
May 1997 Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 16:14:19 -0400
We have been busy little shrews - if you've not been there recently
- we have our own domain now - http://www.shrewbot.com ....... Shrew is
a band of musical veterans that jam once a week or so. We play in lots
of different styles, with frequent guest artists and theme pieces. What
we do is record these jams, mix them down to digital stereo, cut out a
couple of representative "songs" from the session, and publish
these songs to the site. It is sort of the bleeding edge of music media
distribution - and here we are on it! That's it for now... Shrew!
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o SHREW TALK INSTRUCTIONS
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TO POST TO THE GROUP
All replies to the Shrew Talk inquiries should be posted to the group.
However, if you prefer to reply to someone personally, *I* would appreciate
receiving a copy of the mail (Cc or Bcc) and/or a summary of the "outcome".
Reply to shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at - include the words "Shrew Talk"
in the subject line.
For the present, this is also my personal e-mail. If you would like
mail to go to Werner Haberl rather than to the group, DO NOT include the
words "Shrew Talk" in the subject line and/or please indicate
in the body of the letter that it's personal.
To be removed from the list, write to the same address and ask to be
removed. ***********************************************************************
==================================================================
Dr. Werner Haberl Editor, SHREW TALK (http://members.vienna.at/shrew/shrewtalk.html)
Hamburgerstr. 11, A-1050 Vienna, Austria
Email: shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at URL: http://members.vienna.at/shrew
(The Shrew (ist's) Site)
The Shrew Bibliography (> 6000 references) (available on CD ROM)
==================================================================
This web site was created by
Dr. Werner Haberl. Address: Hamburgerstrasse
11, A-1050 Vienna, Austria.
E-mail: shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at
URL: http://members.vienna.at/shrew
