On the taxonomy and distribution of <em>Crocidura cossyrensis</em> and <em>Crocidura russula</em> (Insectivora, Soricidae) in Maghreb

Abstract

<strong>Abstract</strong> The paper examines the taxonomic status of North African <em>Crocidura russula Auctorum</em>. On the basis of morphological data, the taxon needs to be divided into at least two species: <em>C. russula</em> (Hermann, 1780) from western Europe, coastal Morocco and middle-western Algeria, up to about the Algiers area, and possibly even Sardinia and Ibiza, and another species, distributed in coastal middle-eastern Algeria, Tunisia, Pantelleria and, possibly, La Galite archipelago. The first and only available name for the above, eastern taxon is <em>Crocidura cossyrensis</em> Contoli, 1989.

Keywords

• biometry
• taxonomy