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"SHREW TALK" - Vol. 1, No. 15- 4 September 1997
SHREW TALK - 4 September 1997 - Vol. 1, No. 15
Number of Recipients: >228
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Contents of this Issue
o Editorial
o Research
1. Prebles shrew
2. Shrew borne diseases
3. Longevity in shrews
4. Replies: Data on Longevity in shrews
4a. Re: Longevity in shrews (Blarina brevicauda)
4b. Re: Longevity in shrews (Sorex ornatus)
4c. Re: Longevity in shrews (Sorex araneus)
4d. Re: Longevity in shrews (South African species)
o Shrew Bibliography: New Papers
o What's New on the Shrew (ist's) Site
o Shrew Talk Instructions
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o RESEARCH
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1) Prebles shrew
Date: Wed, 03 Sep 1997 16:03:14 -0700
From: Joan Howard <emijoe@3-cities.com>
Organization: Environmental Management, Inc.
Subject: Prebles Shrew
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We are looking for information on the Prebles Shrew or Sorex preblei commonly found in Oregon, USA.
It was suggested that this shrew was a concern around Rocky Flats, Colorado, USA.
If any information you can provide would be most appreciated.
Thank you.
Environmental Management, Inc. Richland, Washington
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2) Shrew borne diseases
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Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 14:12:45 -0400
From: SANDRA ERDLE <SYE@dcr.state.va.us>
Subject: SHREW TALK: Vol. 1, No. 14 - 20 August 1997 -Reply
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Werner, in response to your comments about shrew (rodent) borne diseases, I thought I'd pass along a couple of references. I don't know of any specific to shrews, and these are certainly more applicable to researchers in North America, but you may find them of interest.
Cheers! Sandra Erdle
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Childs, J.E., J.N. Mills and G.E. Glass. 1995. Rodent-borne hemorrhagic fever viruses: a special risk for mammalogists? Journal of Mammalogy 76(3): 664-680.
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Mills, J.N., T.L. Yates, J.E. Childs, R.R. Parmenter, T.G. Ksiazek, P.E. Rollin and C.J. Peters. 1995. Guidelines for working with rodents potentially infected with Hantavirus. Journal of Mammalogy 76(3): 716-722.
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3) Longevity in shrews
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From: "Ron Ron Cheng" <quake12@geocities.com>
Subject: life span of a shrew
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 18:03:07 -0500
Could you please mail me back as soon as you can with the life span of a shrew? I'd greatly appreciate it.
Ron Ron Cheng @ :^)
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4) Replies: Data on Longevity in shrews
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LONGEVITY IN SHREWS (SORICIDAE, INSECTIVORA) AND A HIGH AGE RECORD IN CROCIDURA SUAVEOLENS.
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The life-span of free-living shrews (Soricidae, Insectivora) rarely exceeds one year. There are only a few records of shrews surviving a second winter in the wild (e.g. Borowski, 1964: Sorex araneus; Besancon, 1984: Crocidura russula).
However, in captivity, shrews are known to live longer: Hutterer (1976) could maintain two Common Shrews (Sorex araneus) to survive their second winter (588 days). The reported life-span of other species is even higher: 37 months (Neomys fodiens: Koehler 1986), over 3 years (Sorex caecutiens: J. Saarikko, pers. comm.), 31 months (Cryptotis parva: Mock & Conaway 1976), 29,3 months (Crocidura suaveolens: Hanzak 1966), 38 months (Crocidura russula: Vogel 1972), 4 years (Crocidura russula: Schreitmüller, cit. Spannhof 1952), 41,5 months (Crocidura leucodon: Frank 1956), 32 months (Suncus etruscus: Fons 1979).
Refer to 'The Shrew Bibliography' for complete references.
I was able to maintain a female Crocidura suaveolens in captivity for 28 months (after date of capture). This shrew was pregnant at the time of capture (30.7.1988) and gave birth to 6 young in captivity (Haberl 1993). It is not sure whether this animal was a Ôregular summer-shrewÕ or a late Ôautumn/winter-shrewÕ), but it must have achieved an age of 3 - 3 1/2 years and is (to current knowledge) the oldest shrew of this species. It may also be possible that this animal originated from an early Ôcurrent-yearÕs-litterÕ, which would make it one of the rare observations of shrews reproducing in their first calendar-year of life.
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Werner Haberl shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at
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4a) Re: Longevity in shrews (Blarina brevicauda)
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From: "John Whitaker" <LSWHITAK@scifac.indstate.edu>
Organization: Indiana State University
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 14:30:36 GMT-5
Subject: Re: Longevity in Soricidae
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I have no specific longevity report for shrews. However, I do know that Jack Gottschang (Univ. Cincinnati, Dept Biol. 1812 Brodie Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45221; now retired) kept Blarina in captivity at one time and kept them for long periods, but I don't know how long. You might contact him.
Sincerely John Whitaker
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4b) Re: Longevity in shrews (Sorex ornatus)
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Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 22:16:15 -0800
From: Jesus Maldonado <jesusm@lifesci.ucla.edu>
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... with regards to your posting on the longevity of shrews; I kept a Sorex ornatus in captivity for 18 months. The shrew was a young female captured 6 May 1994 and died in November of 95. When I captured the animal I believe it was a young of the year judging from the pelage, weight (3.5gr) and tooth wear at the time of capture, perhaps born early in 1994. The same day I captured an old adult with dentition almost completely worn out and he only lived 3 months in captivity. This animals were fed a diet of predominantly mealworms and lean ground meat.
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------------------------------
Jesus E. Maldonado
jesusm@biology.ucla.edu
Department of Biology
405 Hilgard Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606
TEL:(310)-825-5014
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4c) Re: Longevity in shrews (Sorex araneus)
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Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 11:16:21 +0100 (MET)
From: Zdzislaw Pucek <zpucek@bison.zbs.bialowieza.pl>
Subject: Re: Longevity in Soricidae
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You can find some data on longevity (survival) of Sorex araneus in captivity in my earlier paper: Pucek Z,, 1964: Morphological changes in shrews kept in captivity. Acta Theriologica 8: 137-166.
Yours sincerely, Z. Pucek
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4d) Re: Longevity in shrews (South African species)
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From: "Rod Baxter" <baxter@ufhcc.ufh.ac.za>
Organization: University of Fort Hare
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 11:51:52 GMT+120
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Longevity: the following are the records that I have of shrews surviving to over 600 days of age OR over 600 days in captivity.
Myosorex varius - 750 days in captivity
Crocidura flavescens - 610, 615, 645, 650, 673, 719 and 792 days old
" " - 708 and 782 days in captivity Obviously, the last age would be the oldest and the individual would have been over 800 days old.
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Rod Baxter
e-mail: baxter@zoo.ufh.ac.za
Dept of Zoology
University of Fort Hare
P/Bag X1314 5700 Alice
SOUTH AFRICA
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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.
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o WHAT'S NEW ON THE SHREW (ist's) SITE?
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o SHREW TALK INSTRUCTIONS
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