Abstract:
Shrews (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae) reach the southern limit of their New World distribution in the Andes and eastern coastal highlands of northern South America. South of Honduras, the family is represented only by species of the genus Cryptotis Pomel, 1848. In South America, soricids are restricted to moist, high-elevation environments above 1000 m, and their distribution appears to be discontinuous. Study of specimens from a previous gap in the known geographical range of shrews in the Central Cordillera of southwestern Colombia reveals the presence of two unique populations that are distinguishable from each other and their congeners by a combination of morphological and morphometrical characters. They are described herein as, Cryptotis huttereri, n. sp. and Cryptotis andinus, n. sp. Both species are members of the Cryptotis thomasi group, one of five species groups of small-eared shrews defined partly on the basis of postcranial morphology and potential locomotor behavior. Although species in the C. thomasi group share similar postcranial architecture, as exemplified by the morphology of the forelimb, the group appears to be polyphyletic, implying convergence in locomotor behavior, possibly one uniquely adapted for Andean-type montane habitats. Recognition of C. huttereri and C. andinus brings the total number of known South American soricids to 19 species, with 11 species occurring in Colombia. Of those, seven species are endemic to that country.
