First record of shrews (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) in the Sierra de Otontepec, an isolated mountain in Veracruz, Mexico

THERYA, 2019, Vol. 10 (1): 59-64 DOI: 10.12933/therya-19-690 ISSN 2007-3364 First record of shrews (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) in the Sierra de Otontepec, an isolated mountain in Veracruz, Mexico Marco Mayen-Zaragoza1, Lázaro Guevara1, 2*, Giovani Hernández-Canchola1 and Livia León-Paniagua1 Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. Email: mayen.z.marco@ gmail.com (MMZ); (LG); (GHC); (LLP). 2 Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. Correspondence: Av. Universidad 3000, Circuito Exterior S/N Coyoacán, CP. 04510, Ciudad de Mexico Mexico. .*Corresponding author 1 Knowledge of the diversity and distribution of mammals in tropical and subtropical regions remains incomplete. This is especially true for many small species inhabiting remote areas with limited access. Here we present the first record of small-eared shrews (Soricidae, Cryptotis) from the Sierra de Otontepec, Mexico, an isolated mountain in the Gulf Coastal Plain that has remained poorly explored (Figure 1). We conducted a short-term survey in the Sierra de Otontepec using pitfall and Sherman traps during August 2016. Taxonomic identification was based on morphological and molecular analyses (Appendix 1). We collected six shrew specimens from the cloud forests in the Sierra de Otontepec (Figure 2). Morphological and molecular characterization indicated that all specimens collected were small-eared shrews belonging to the Cryptotis mexicanus species group (Table 1, Figure 3), a clade which is closely associated with cloud forests. Based on the morphological and molecular evidence, we refer to this population from the Sierra de Otontepec as C. mexicanus, Our results corroborate the importance of continued fieldwork in remote tropical areas. Overall, this finding offers relevant information that could be used to better understand the evolution and biogeographic history of this species group and its habitat. El conocimiento de la diversidad y distribución de los mamíferos en las regiones tropicales y subtropicales sigue siendo incompleto. Esto es particularmente notable para muchas especies pequeñas que habitan en áreas remotas de acceso limitado. Aquí presentamos el primer registro de musarañas (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) de la Sierra de Otontepec, México, una montaña aislada en la llanura costera del Golfo que ha permanecido escasamente explorada (Figura 1). Nosotros realizamos un estudio a corto plazo en la Sierra de Otontepec utilizando trampas de caida y Sherman durante agosto de 2016. La identificación taxonómica se basó en análisis morfológicos y moleculares (Apéndice 1). Obtuvimos seis especímenes de musarañas en el bosque nuboso de la Sierra de Otontepec (Figura 2). La caracterización morfológica y molecular indicó que todos los especímenes recolectados eran musarañas de orejas pequeñas pertenecientes al grupo de especies de Cryptotis mexicanus (Tabla 1, Figura 3), un clado que está estrechamente asociado con los bosques nubosos. Con base en la evidencia morfológica y molecular, nos referimos a esta población de la Sierra de Otontepec como C. mexicanus. Nuestros resultados corroboran la importancia de continuar trabajo de campo en áreas tropicales remotas. En general, este hallazgo ofrece información relevante que podría usarse para comprender mejor la evolución y la historia biogeográfica de este grupo de especies y su hábitat. Key words: cloud forests; Cryptotis; Mammalia; small-eared shrews. © 2019 Asociación Mexicana de Mastozoología, www.mastozoologiamexicana.org Introduction Knowledge of the diversity and geographical distribution of mammals in tropical and subtropical regions remains incomplete (Ceballos and Ehrlich 2009). This is due, in large part, to the fact that many species inhabit remote areas with limited accessibility. This is particularly problematic when collecting small and secretive species that are difficult to find. Small-eared shrews (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) of the genus Cryptotis Pomel, 1848 comprise a group of small- to medium sized species occurring from southeastern Canada to northern South America (Choate 1970). With about 44 species (Zeballos et al. 2013), Cryptotis is one of the most diverse genera of small mammals in the Americas. Discovery and description of new species, new distributional records, and range extensions for this genus are not unusual even today (Woodman 2010; Guevara et al. 2014; Guevara and Sánchez-Cordero 2018a). Recently, while working on mammal inventories, our field team discovered a handful of specimens of small- eared shrews in the cloud forest of the Sierra de Otontepec (Figure 1), an isolated mountain in Veracruz, Mexico, where biological inventories and research has been scarce (Hall and Dalquest 1963; Secretaría de Desarrollo Social y Medio Ambiente, SEDESMA, 2007). Here we provide morphological, molecular, and ecological information on these specimens that could be used to better understand the evolutionary and biogeographic history of the genus. Because the fauna in the Sierra de Otontepec is poorly known and most of the natural vegetation in the region has already been altered by human activity, we emphasize the biological relevance of this discovery. Materials and Methods Study area. The Sierra de Otontepec (also known as Sierra de Tantima) lies on the eastern slope of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Veracruz, Mexico (Figure 1). It is a small, isolated volcanic mountain in the Gulf Coastal Plain that reaches an elevation of nearly 1,300 m, and with an extended range of nearly 20 SHREWS FROM AN ISOLATED MOUNTAIN Figure 1. Map showing the known records (black dots) of the small-eared shrew, Cryptotis mexicanus, and the new records from the Sierra de Otontepec. km (SEDESMA 2007). The summit vegetation begins at 900 masl and consists largely of cloud forest, making it one of the northernmost stands of cloud forest in the Neotropics. Fieldwork. The Mexican Ministry of the Environment (SEMARNAT) authorized the capture of mammals under the scientific collector permit SGPA/DGVS/12142/16 issued to LLP. Fieldwork was carried out for 15 consecutive days in August 2016. We used 10 pitfall and 80 Sherman traps, which were placed next to rocks around the bases of the trees and next to fallen trunks. We conducted trapping at two locations covered by dense cloud forest (Site 1: 21.26855278 N, -97.84444 W, 1,080 m; Site 2: 21.24715 N, -97.895 W, 1,020 m), which have not been intensively surveyed for small mammals. We followed standard recommendations on specimen capture, sacrifice and preparation (Sikes et al. 2016). We measured (mm) and weighed (g) voucher specimens in the field and deposited skins, skeletons, and tissues samples at the Mammal Collection of the Museo de Zoología “Alfonso L. Herrera”, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MZFC-M, Mexico City; Appendix 1). Taxonomic identification. We focused morphological and molecular analys (...truncated)