Genetic and morphometric comparison between Sorex arunchi Lapini and Testone, 1998, and other shrews from Italy

The results of allozymic, morphologic and morphometric studies performed on three parapatric shrews of the genus Sorex from northern Italy are presented. These data clearly indicate: (1) Sorex samniticus is genetically well differentiated from S. araneus and S, arunchi, displaying a high mean value of genetic distance in comparison with the other two species (D = 0.463). (2) S, araneus and S. arunchi display low values of genetic distance (D = 0.007) and the latter shows lower levels of genetic variability. Altough no fixed allele difference was observed, an exclusive allele (Lap-2(96)) is present in S. arunchi at low frequence, another one (Pgm-1(96)) is rare in S. araneus and quite frequent in S. arunchi, and several alleles (12) of S. araneus are missing in S. arunchi. In S. araneus some of these alleles are quite frequent. (3) Strong morphometric differences between S. araneus and S. arunchi permit to distinguish these parapatric shrews with great accuracy, also in some cases of marginal sympatry. These evidences support the hypothesis that S, arunchi might be a recent (end of Pleistocene-lower Holocene) relict of the subgenus Sorex s. s.