Craniometric study of the greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) from the eastern most edge of its distribution
- This study addresses the question of whether a population at the edge of the coherent distribution of a species differs morphometrically from populations within the main range of its distribution. Crocidura russula, with a known occurrence in Europe from Portugal and Spain eastwards to Germany where it reaches its easternmost distribution limit in Dresden, is used as example. The study assessed the metric variability of three populations of C. russula from vicinity of Dresden: Dresden Gohlis, other localities in Dresden and Kurort Hartha. Additionally, specimens from owl pellet analyses were studied from Stollberg (Saxony) and Trainau (Bavaria). No sexual dimorphism occurred in the samples from Gohlis and Hartha. In condylobasal length and skull width, C. russula in western Switzerland is slightly larger than in the vicinity of Dresden; but the opposite is true for coronoid height. The populations from the eastern distribution limit Gohlis are morphologically similar to other populations of C. russula further west in the species’ distribution range. Few details to the distribution of C. russula within the vicinity of Dresden were also revealed through this study.