Uncovering the diversity of rodents and shrews in the Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia
Author:
Martynov Aleksey A.1ORCID, Zemlemerova Elena D.1, Kostin Danila S.1, Komarova Valeria A.1, Gromov Anton R.1, Yihune Mesele2, Tsegaye Adane2, Alexandrov Dmitry Y.1, Bekele Afework2, Bryja Josef34ORCID, Lavrenchenko Leonid A.1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences , Leninskii Pr. 33 , Moscow 119081 , Russia 2. Department of Zoological Sciences , Addis Ababa University , Addis Ababa 1176 , Ethiopia 3. Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Květná 8, 603 65 Brno , Czech Republic 4. Department of Botany and Zoology , Faculty of Science, Masaryk University , Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno , Czech Republic
Abstract
Abstract
The recently established Chebera Churchura National Park represents a mosaic of savanna and montane evergreen forest. A report on small mammals (2013) showed their relatively high diversity, but species identification was based only on external morphology. We conducted a new field survey and genetic analyses to shed light on diversity and biogeographical affinities of small mammals in this under-explored national park. Based on results of mitochondrial DNA barcoding, 14 species of rodents and two species of shrews, including Crocidura turba (new to the Ethiopian fauna), were identified. Moreover, a new taxon of gerbils – presumably representing a new species – of the genus Gerbilliscus was discovered. We show that forest and savanna species often inhabit the same localities, which can be explained by the mosaic nature of biotopes. These results document the uniqueness of Chebera Churchura NP, especially in comparison with other Ethiopian national parks, and argue for its protection and further development.
Funder
Russian Foundation for Basic Research Czech Science Foundation
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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