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Biogeographical and Evolutionary Relationships Among Central American Small-Eared Shrews of the Genus Cryptotis (Mammalia: Insectivora: Soricidae)
Woodman, Neal
Woodman, Neal
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Abstract
Small-eared shrews of the genus Cryptotis
have a distribution that extends from southernmost
Ontario and across much of the eastern half of the
United States south to the northern Andean highlands.
The genus attains its greatest diversity in Mexico and
Central America, where eight species generally have been
recognized. My studies of geographical and elevational
distribution and correlated morphological variation
indicate that Cryptotis is much more diverse and
speciose than previously considered. I recognize 19
species in this same region, and I suggest that there is
potential for even greater species-level diversity.
This is mostly a result of prehistoric isolation of
populations in restricted highland areas, subsequent
morphological divergence, and speciation. This brings
the total number of species of Cryptotis to 25; there is
a total of 3 6 monotypic species and subspecies.
Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Cryptotis using a
matrix of 19 transformation series indicates three wellsupported
lineages occur within the genus: the C. parva
group, consisting of C. parva and all of its subspecies;
the C. niarescens group, which includes C. magna in addition to species once considered subspecies of C.
nicrrescens; and the C. thomasi group, which now includes
C. gracilis, C. endersi , and members of the C. mexicana
group, as well as most South American species.
Relationships among the three lineages are uncertain,
but the C nigrescens most likely shares a sistergroup
relationship with either the C. parva group or the C.
thomasi group. Within the C. nigrescens group C. magna
has a sister group relationship with C. mayensis and C.
merriami.
Biogeography of the genus Cryptotis is complex, and
it appears that ancestral patterns of divergence have
been obscured by subsequent expansion and contraction of
species ranges.
Description
The University of Kansas has long historical connections with Central America and the many Central
Americans who have earned graduate degrees at KU. This work is part of the Central American Theses
and Dissertations collection in KU ScholarWorks and is being made freely available with permission of the
author through the efforts of Professor Emeritus Charles Stansifer of the History department and the staff of
the Scholarly Communications program at the University of Kansas Libraries’ Center for Digital Scholarship.
Date
1992-09-09
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University of Kansas