Güldenstädt's shrew explained

Güldenstädt's shrew (Crocidura gueldenstaedtii) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the lesser white-toothed shrew (C. suaveolens), but more recent studies support it being a distinct species.^{[1] [2]} It is named after Johann Anton Güldenstädt.

It has a wide range throughout Europe, from Spain west to Russia, and south through the Caucasus to the Middle East, as far south as the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Mummified shrews from the beginning of the Ptolemaic Period at Quesna, Egypt, have also been identified to this species, indicating that it once occurred in the Nile Delta, where it no longer does, supporting a moister regional environment at the time.^[3]

It contains several subspecies from western Europe and the island of Cyprus that may represent distinct species of their own.

Notes and References

1. Crocidura gueldenstaedtii (Pallas, 1811). 1003905. 2022-02-20.
2. Bannikova. Anna A.. Lebedev. Vladimir S.. Kramerov. Dmitri A.. Zaitsev. Mikhail V.. 2006-02-01. Phylogeny and systematics of the Crocidura suaveolens species group: corroboration and controversy between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers / Phylogénie et systématique du groupe d'espèces Crocidura suaveolens: coordination et contradiction des marqueurs nucléaire et mitochondriaux de l'ADN. Mammalia. en. 70. 1–2. 106–119. 10.1515/MAMM.2006.011. 201120408 . 1864-1547.
3. Woodman. Neal. Ikram. Salima. Rowland. Joanne. 2021-04-07. A new addition to the embalmed fauna of ancient Egypt: Güldenstaedt's White-toothed Shrew, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii (Pallas, 1811) (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae). PLOS ONE. en. 16. 4. e0249377 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0249377. 1932-6203. 8026016. 33826664 . 2021PLoSO..1649377W . free.