This shrew is a jumping mouse (Mammalia, Dipodidae): Sorex dichrurus Rafinesque 1833 is a synonym of Zapus hudsonius (Zimmermann 1780)

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington
By:
Edited by: Michael D. Carleton

Links

Abstract

Constantine S. Rafinesque described Sorex dichrurus as a shrew in 1833, based on a specimen he found in a proprietary museum near Niagara Falls on the New York/Ontario border. The name subsequently has been ignored by the scientific community. By describing this specimen as a shrew and ascribing it to the genus Sorex, Rafinesque clearly indicated that his species should be considered a member of the taxonomic family now recognized as the Soricidae (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla). Yet, the description of the animal, and its comparison to ‘‘Gerbillus,’’ clearly identify it as a dipodid rodent, specifically Zapus hudsonius (Zimmermann, 1780); S. dichrurus should be treated as a junior subjective synonym of that taxon. Based on its type locality of Goat Island, New York, this name is also a junior synonym of the subspecies Z. hudsonius canadensis (Davies, 1798).
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title This shrew is a jumping mouse (Mammalia, Dipodidae): Sorex dichrurus Rafinesque 1833 is a synonym of Zapus hudsonius (Zimmermann 1780)
Series title Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington
DOI 10.2988/12-05.1
Volume 125
Issue 3
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher Biological Society of Washington
Publisher location Lawrence, KS
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 9 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington
First page 308
Last page 316
Country United States
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details