The Taita shrew (''Suncus aequatorius'') is an extant
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
white-toothed shrew
The white-toothed shrews or Crocidurinae are one of three subfamilies of the shrew family Soricidae.
The outer layer of these shrews' teeth is white, unlike that of the red-toothed shrews. These species are typically found in Africa and souther ...
from two localities in the
Taita Hills
The Taita Hills, sometimes also spelled as Teita Hills, are a mountain range located in the Taita-Taveta County in south-eastern Kenya. The hills consist of three massifs: Dawida, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi township and Kasigau in t ...
mountain range in the
Taita-Taveta District of southwestern
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
...
.
Given the continuing decline in the quality of this
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
, and the limitations in its range, the
IUCN recognises the shrew as an
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
species.
References
Further reading
*Aggundey, I. R. and Schlitter, D. A. (1986). Annotated checklist of the mammals of Kenya. II. Insectivora and Macroscelidea. ''Annals of Carnegie Museum'' 55: 325-347.
*Heim de Balsac, H. and Meester, J. (1977). Order Insectivora. In: J. Meester and H. W. Setzer (eds), ''The Mammals of Africa: An Identification Manual'', pp. 1–29. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C., USA.
*Oguge, N., Hutterer, R. Odhiambo, R. and Verheyen, W. (2004). Diversity and structure of shrew communities in montane forests of southeast Kenya. ''Mammalian Biology'' 69: 289-301.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1761290
Suncus
Endemic fauna of Kenya
Mammals of Kenya
Mammals described in 1912
Taxa named by Edmund Heller