Cretan Shrew
Encyclopedia
The Cretan Shrew is a species of mammal
in the Soricidae family. It is endemic and exclusive to the island of Crete
, Greece
. Its natural habitat
is temperate shrubland
, and is threatened by habitat loss. On Crete it is found in the mountainous highlands, having been displaced from lower altitudes by the Lesser White-toothed Shrew
(Crocidura suaveolens) which has taken over the ecological niche
.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
in the Soricidae family. It is endemic and exclusive to the island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is temperate shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, and is threatened by habitat loss. On Crete it is found in the mountainous highlands, having been displaced from lower altitudes by the Lesser White-toothed Shrew
Lesser white-toothed shrew
The Lesser White-toothed Shrew is a tiny shrew with a widespread distribution in Africa, Asia and Europe, but not in most of Spain, north–west France and mainland Great Britain. Its preferred habitat is scrub and gardens and it feeds on insects, worms, slugs, snails and small mice...
(Crocidura suaveolens) which has taken over the ecological niche
Ecological niche
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
.
Source
- Insectivore Specialist Group 1996. Crocidura zimmermanni. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 July 2007.