Vietnamese White-toothed Shrew

About this species

Size

Head and body 4.7–5.3cm; tail 3.4–3.7cm

Habitat

Viet Bac limestone karst in Na Hang Nature Reserve

Range

Known only from Na Hang Nature Reserve, Tuyen Quang Province

The Vietnamese white-toothed shrew is one of Vietnam's smallest Crocidura. Four measured animals had head-and-body lengths of 4.7–5.3 cm and tails of 3.4–3.7 cm, averaging roughly three quarters of body length. Its pelage is paler than that of the larger Wuchih white-toothed shrew, and its skull is shorter, including the rostrum and braincase. Tooth and jaw characters help distinguish it from other similarly tiny Vietnamese shrews (Jenkins, Lunde & Moncrieff 2009).

The species was described from material collected in the Tat Ke sector of Na Hang Nature Reserve, Tuyen Quang Province, at approximately 300–800 m. Published records remain confined to this reserve in the Viet Bac limestone region of north-eastern Vietnam. The original study focused on morphology and biogeography rather than behaviour, diet or reproduction, so those aspects remain undocumented and are omitted here. Its very restricted published record makes locality information especially important for identification (Jenkins, Lunde & Moncrieff 2009).

Description: Wildlife of Vietnam guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com)