Ussuri Shrew

About this species

Range

Northeast Asia

The Ussuri shrew, Sorex mirabilis, is also called the giant shrew and is a red-toothed shrew of Northeast Asia. It is distinct from the similarly named Ussuri white-toothed shrew, Crocidura lasiura, which belongs to another genus. Historical authors sometimes placed mirabilis within Sorex pacificus, but later reviews maintained the two as separate species. Correct identification therefore depends on current taxonomic and morphological evidence rather than English names alone (Hoffmann 1971; Wikipedia, general species account).

The accessible species sources establish a Northeast Asian distribution but provide little verified Korean ecological information. Body measurements, prey, habitat selection, nesting, reproduction and activity are consequently omitted instead of being inferred from other Sorex. This is particularly important because shrews share a superficially similar body plan and regional species can be difficult to identify without dental and cranial characters. Korean records should be checked against specimens and current keys before being used for distribution mapping (Korean mammal review; general species account).

Description: Wildlife of Korea guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)