Clarifying the taxonomic status of Crocidura cantabra Cabrera, 1908 (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae: Crocidurinae)

Abstract

Abstract At the beginning of the 20th century Crocidura cantabra was described based on one specimen from Basque Provinces, North of Spain. Later, some authors considered it a junior synonym of Crocidura suaveolens, without any data to support this statement, so the eight existing specimens were registered as records of that species. Our objective was to clarify the taxonomic status of C. cantabra. Since DNA could not be obtained from the existing specimens and the coloration was originally poorly described, an attempt was made to make an assignment based on the original biometric data of two individuals, the only ones identified by Cabrera for which there is biometric information: the holotype and a specimen from Colindres, Cantabria. The body measurements were surely altered by conservation techniques, rendering any identification uncertain, whereas the skull biometry assigns the specimens to C. russula. We propose that C. cantabra should be treated as junior synonym of Crocidura russula.