Speciation of the Wandering Shrew Part 5

_Diagnosis._--Size medium; measurements of two from the type locality are: total length, 113, 118; tail, 48, 49; hind foot, 14, 14. Dark in summer and winter, underparts brownish.

_Comparisons._--Smaller than _S. v. setosus_ but color much the same; resembles _S. v. obscurus_ in size and cranial characters but darker in all pelages; similar in color to _S. v. vancouverensis_ with which _isolatus_ is sympatric but with longer tail, longer hind feet, broader rostrum and larger teeth. For comparison with _S. v. mixtus_ see account of that subspecies.

_Remarks._--_S. v. isolatus_ and _S. v. vancouverensis_ seemingly approach one another morphologically more closely than do any other pair of sympatric subspecies of _Sorex vagrans_. The exceptions may be _S. v. vagrans_ and _S. v. obscurus_ which are geographically sympatric in a few places although they may be ecologically separated.

_Specimens examined._--Total number, 9. BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver Island: Nanaimo, 3 BS; Barclay Sound, 1 AMNH; Goldstream, 5 BS.

_Marginal Records._--BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver Island. (Anderson, 1947:19): Cape Scott; Victoria.

=Sorex vagrans insularis= Cowan

_Sorex obscurus insularis_ Cowan, Proc. Biol. Soc. Was.h.i.+ngton, 54:103, July 31, 1941.

_Type._--Adult female, skin and skull; No. 3110, Prov. Mus. British Columbia; obtained on August 24, 1938, by T. T. and E. B. McCabe from Smythe Island, Bardswell Group, British Columbia.

_Range._--Smythe, Townsend, and Reginald islands, British Columbia.

_Diagnosis._--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 50 specimens from within the range of the subspecies are: total length, 122.3 (111-134); tail 52.6 (46-58); hind foot, 14.6 (13-15) (Cowan, 1941:107).

_Comparisons._--Smaller externally and cranially than _S. v.

longicauda_ and brown instead of blackish or grayish in winter pelage.

Skull broader than that of _S. v. calvertensis_ and color brown rather than blackish or grayish in winter pelage.

_Remarks._--_S. v. insularis_ occurs together with _S. cinereus_ on Townsend and Smythe islands. _S. vagrans_ far outnumbered the cinereus shrew (Cowan, 1941:96).

_Records of occurrence._--BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cowan, 1941:104): Smythe Island, Townsend Island, Reginald Island.

=Sorex vagrans calvertensis= Cowan

_Sorex obscurus calvertensis_ Cowan, Proc. Biol. Soc.

Was.h.i.+ngton, 54:103, July 31, 1941.

_Type._--Adult male, skin and skull; No. 1947, Prov. Mus. British Columbia; obtained on July 14, 1937, by T. T. and E. T. McCabe from Safety Cove, Calvert Island, British Columbia.

_Diagnosis._--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 13 specimens from Calvert Island are: total length, 121.6 (109-129); tail, 54.0 (52-58); hind foot, 14.7 (13-15) (Cowan, 1941:106).

Blackish or grayish in winter pelage.

_Comparisons._--Smaller externally and cranially and paler in winter and summer than _S. v. longicauda_; for comparisons with _S. v.

insularis_ see account of that subspecies.

_Remarks_.--_S. v. calvertensis_ seems to be the only shrew on Calvert and Banks islands.

_Records of occurrence._--BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cowan, 1941:103): Safety Cove, Calvert Island; Larson Harbor, Banks Island.

_Marginal Records._--BRITISH COLUMBIA: Larson Harbor, Banks Island; type locality.

=Sorex vagrans malitiosus= Jackson

_Sorex obscurus malitiosus_ Jackson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Was.h.i.+ngton, 32:23, April 11, 1919.

_Type._--Adult female, skin and skull; No. 8401; Mus. Vert. Zool.; obtained on May 21, 1909, by H. S. Swarth from east side of Warren Island, Alaska.

_Range._--Warren and Coronation islands, Alaska.

_Diagnosis._--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 5 topotypes are: total length, 129.8 (126-135); tail, 56.4 (53-61); hind foot, 15.4 (15-16). Color brownish in summer, brownish rather than blackish in winter.

_Comparisons._--Somewhat more brownish than _S. v. longicauda_ but resembling it in size; skull slightly more flattened and rostrum broader. Larger than _S. v. ela.s.sodon_. Larger and relatively longer-tailed than _S. v. alascensis_.

_Records of occurrence._--ALASKA (Jackson, 1928:130): Warren Island; Coronation Island.

=Sorex vagrans ela.s.sodon= Osgood

_Sorex longicauda ela.s.sodon_ Osgood, N. Amer. Fauna, 21:35, September 26, 1901.

_Sorex obscurus ela.s.sodon_, Elliott, Field Columb. Mus. Publ.

105, zool. ser. 6:450, 1905.

_Type._--Adult male, skin and skull; No. 100597, U. S. Biol. Surv.

Coll.; obtained on June 13, 1900, by W. H. Osgood from c.u.mshewa Inlet, near old Indian village of Clew, Moresby Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.

_Range._--Alaskan and British Columbian islands from Admiralty Island south to Moresby Island.

_Diagnosis._--Size medium; average and extreme measurements of 4 from the type locality are: total length, 126, (119-131); tail, 53.5 (52-55); hind foot, 13.8 (13-14). Color dark.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 17. Probable geographic ranges of the subspecies of _Sorex vagrans_ on the coast of British Columbia and southeastern Alaska.

1. _Sorex vagrans malitiosus_ 2. _Sorex vagrans ela.s.sodon_ 3. _Sorex vagrans prevostensis_ 4. _Sorex vagrans calvertensis_ 5. _Sorex vagrans insularis_ 6. _Sorex vagrans longicauda_ 7. _Sorex vagrans obscurus_ ]

_Comparisons._--Smaller with relatively smaller tail and hind feet than _S. v. longicauda_, but resembling it in color. Smaller and paler than _S. v. prevostensis_ with relatively narrower rostrum. Larger, darker, and with relatively longer tail than _S. v. obscurus_.

Resembles _S. v. alascensis_ but hind foot smaller and skull relatively narrower. Smaller than _S. v. malitiosus_.

_Remarks._--In the northern part of its range _S. v. ela.s.sodon_ occurs with _Sorex cinereus_. In the southern part it is the only shrew present.

_Specimens examined._--Total number 93.

ALASKA: near Killisnoo, Admiralty Island, 2 BS; Kupreanof Island, 15 BS; Petersburg, Mitkof Island, 10 BS; Woewodski Island, 4 AMNH; Kasaan Bay, Prince of Wales Island, 18 BS.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: c.u.mshewa Inlet, Moresby Island, 25 BS; Ma.s.sett, Graham Island, 6 BS; Queen Charlotte Islands, 13 AMNH.

_Marginal Records._--ALASKA: Hawk Inlet, Admiralty Island (Jackson, 1928:131); Kupreanof Island; Mitkof Island; St. John Harbor, Zarembo Island (Jackson, 1928:131); Kasaan Bay, Prince of Wales Island; Duke Island (Jackson, 1928:131). BRITISH COLUMBIA: Ma.s.sett, Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands; type locality; Langara Island, Queen Charlotte Islands (Jackson, 1928:131). ALASKA: Forrester Island (_ibid._); Rocky Bay, Dall Island (_ibid._); Shakan (really on Kosciusko Island) (_ibid._); Point Baker (_ibid._); Kuiu Island (_ibid._); Port Conclusion, Baranof Island (_ibid._).

=Sorex vagrans prevostensis= Osgood