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BIHAREAN BIOLOGIST 10 (1): 62-64 ©Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2016 Article No.: e162301 http://biozoojournals.ro/bihbiol/index.html

New record of Suncus etruscus Savi, 1822 (Mammalia: ) in Northern Turkey

Ahmet Yesari SELÇUK* and Haluk KEFELİOĞLU

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ondokuz Mayis University, 55200, Samsun, Turkey. *Corresponding author, A.Y. Selçuk, E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 14. August 2015 / Accepted: 21. December 2016 / Available online: 01. June 2016 / Printed: June 2016

Abstract. In this study, we analyzed 436 pellet samples of barn owl (Tyto alba) which were collected from Kızılırmak Delta (Samsun, Northern ). As a result of our analysis of the pellet composition of barn owl, we found Suncus etruscus samples with about 1%. Previous studies show S. etruscus has a distribution in Western and Southern Anatolia.This study reveals the first records of S. etruscus is filled in the gap in the species distibution range in Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey.

Key words: Suncus etruscus, Black , Northern Anatolia, Turkey.

Pygmy white-toothed , Suncus etruscus (Savi, 1822) is a pellets easily reveal the existence of the species (Sara & widely distributed species in Southern Palearctic Region Zanca 1988). (Krystufek & Vohralik 2001, Szpunar et al. 2008). Although it has similarities with the genus , it varies from the Kızılırmak Delta is the largest wetland at the region of members of Crocidura with 4 structures on the Turkey with an area of 56.000 hectares. It has a high re- maxilla (Krystufek & Vohralik 2001). A large number of S. sulting from the different habitat types it has, such as coastal dunes, floodplain forests, marshes and swamps (Barış et al. 2010). In this etruscus records from the West and South coast of Turkey study, we analyzed 436 Tyto alba pellets which were collected over and from the Southern-east Anatolia have been presented by one year of period in 2015. For the identification of small different authors (Fig. 1) (Koch et al. 1972, Felten et al. 1973, to the genus and species level, we used Krystufek & Vohralik (2001). Spitzenberger 1970, Niethammer 1989, Baran et al. 1994, We measured morphometric characters from 6 cranial and 7 man- Obuch 1994, Krystufek & Vohralik 2001, Obuch & Benda dibular samples of Suncus etruscus that we found. In addition to this, 2009, Coşkun & Kaya 2013). Pellet analysis provides infor- we compared the length and width of upper and lower molars (M), mation about previously unknown small species premolars (P) and incisors (I) digitally (Fig. 2). for a study site (Obuch & Benda 1996, Amr et al. 1997). Many authors revealed the first records of Suncus etruscus samples We found 2 S. etruscus samples from 88 pellets in October, 3 as a result of their studies with owl pellets (Niethammer S. etruscus samples from 85 pellets in November, 1 S. etruscus 1989, Obuch 1994, Obuch & Benda 2009, Coşkun & Kaya sample from 28 pellets in December and 1 Suncus etruscus 2013). sample from 32 pellets in August in 2015. The total number Barn owls (Tyto alba) are often used in pellet analysis due of S. etruscus samples we found was 7. This species can be to their wide distribution and the high availability of their easily identified with its 4 unicuspid maxillary structure.. In pellets (Contoli 1980). In addition, as S. etruscus is a highly the analysis of 436 pellets which were collected over one preferable food for the barn owl, the analysis of barn owl year of period, we obtained cranium, mandible and maxilla

Figure 1. The localities of Suncus etruscus records from Turkey: Spitzenberger 1970 (1), Kock et al. 1972 (9), Felten et al. 1973 (2 and 12-uncertain data), Niethammer 1989 (3), Baran et al. 1994 (4), Obuch 1994 (8 and 6), Krystufek & Vohralik 2001 (5), Obuch & Benda 2009 (10), Coşkun & Kaya 2013 (7), Own data (11).

Figure 2. Size of mandibular molar M1 (a), Suncus etruscus mandible, ml: Mandibular lenght; mh: Mandibular height, (b) (Sample no.2).

New record of Suncus etruscus in Northern Turkey 63

Table 1. Measure of molars, premolars and incisors in Suncus etruscus samples (milimeter), L: Lenght, W: width.

No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 Min-Max Mean SD Characters L B L B L B L B L B L B L B L B L B L B

I1 1.94 - 2.51 - 2.26 - 2.57 - 2.49 - - - 2.48 - 1.94-2.57 - 2.38 - 0.98 -

P1 0.75 0.86 0.80 0.63 0.66 0.77 0.89 0.79 0.78 0.53 - - 0.76 0.50 0.66-0.89 0.50-0.86 0.77 0.68 0.07 0.14

M1 0.85 0.91 0.95 1.17 1.00 1.05 1.06 1.04 0.99 1.04 - - 1.02 1.19 0.85-1.06 0.91-1.19 0.98 1.07 0.07 0.1

M2 0.77 0.90 0.87 1.00 0.91 1.13 0.96 1.05 0.89 1.02 - - 0.94 1.10 0.77-0.96 0.90-1.13 0.89 1.03 0.06 0.08

M3 0.55 0.85 0.58 0.78 0.61 0.72 0.67 0.74 0.59 0.67 - - 0.58 0.76 0.55-0.67 0.67-0.85 0.60 0.75 0.04 0.06 I1 - - - - 1.16 - 1.16 - 1.27 - 1.17 - 1.23 - 1.16-1.27 - 1.20 - 0.04 - P2 0.76 0.66 - - 0.88 1.39 1.14 0.89 1.03 1.16 0.91 1.09 1.02 1.27 0.76-1.14 0.66-1.39 0.96 1.07 0.13 0.26 M1 0.76 0.86 - - 1.00 0.97 0.99 0.98 1.26 0.79 1.14 1.00 1.23 1.02 0.76-1.26 0.79-1.02 1.07 0.94 0.18 0.09 M2 0.90 1.00 - - 1.03 0.88 1.01 0.87 1.16 0.89 0.93 0.92 1.21 0.96 0.90-1.21 0.87-1.00 1.04 0.92 0.12 0.05 M3 0.57 0.66 - - 0.56 0.68 0.55 0.45 0.58 0.56 0.58 0.53 0.59 0.60 0.55-0.59 0.45-0.68 0.58 0.56 0.01 0.08

Table 2. Morphometric measurement of skull, mandibular and maxillar bones in Suncus etruscus samples (milimeter).

Characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Min-Max Mean SD Brain capsule width 5.65 - 5.60 5.45 - 5.50 - 5.45-5.65 5.55 0.09 Brain height 2.50 - 2.65 - - 2.60 - 2.50-2.65 2.58 0.07 Mandibular lenght 7.65 7.65 7.40 7.65 7.80 - 7.95 7.40-7.95 7.68 0.18 Zygomatic breadth 3.75 - 3.85 3.70 3.90 3.95 3.80 3.70-3.95 3.82 0.09 Palatal bridge 5.05 - 5.20 4.95 5.10 5.25 5.05 4.95-5.25 5.10 0.1 Postglenoid width 4.4 - 4.35 - - 4.55 - 4.35-4.55 4.43 0.1 Rostral height 1.20 - 1.20 1.15 1.15 1.40 1.35 1.15-1.40 1.24 0.1 Mandibular height 3.05 2.90 2.90 2.85 3.0 - 2.90 2.85-3.05 2.93 0.07

remains of S. etruscus with a percentage of 0.74%. In our re- the Black Sea Region (Northern Anatolia) (Fig. 1). The exis- sults, the mean I1 length was 2.38 mm. Respectively, the tence of the species in the Aegean Region ( Kock et al. 1972, mean P1 length and width were 0.77 mm and 0.68 mm; the Baran 1994, Felten et.al 1973, Niethammer 1989, Spitzenber- mean M1 length and width were 0.98 mm and 1.07 mm; the ger 1970) and in the (Corbet 1978, Hutterer 2005) mean M2 length and width were 0.89 mm and 1.03 mm; the indicates this species should have a wide distribution in mean M3 length and width were 0.60 mm and 0.75 mm. The Northern Anatolia. Our study supports this argument. Addi- mean I1 length was 1.20 mm. The mean P2 length and width tionally, further researches are necessary to define the cur- were 0.96 mm and 1.07 mm; the mean M1 length and width rent distribution of this species. were 1.07 mm and 0.94 mm; the mean M2 length and width were 1.04 mm and 0.92 mm; the mean M3 length and width were 0.58 mm and 0.56 mm respectively (Table 1). Suncus etruscus is one of the smallest mammals in the Acknowledgements. We would like to thank Kemal BANKOĞLU world (The mean body mass is 1.2-.2.3 g; Fons 1970). Due to and Ömral ÖZKOÇ for their invaluable help in every stage of our its low body mass, this species is difficult to be caught by study. We also thank Bahri Taylan KARACA, Belma BİLGİ, Ecem Meliha BORA, Emre UÇAR and Sevim DÖNMEZ for their support. common mammal traps (American Sherman trap or English

Longworth trap). Barn owl pellets enable us to understand the distribution of S. etruscus along the Mediteranean coast

(Vogel 2012). Due to their small body size and 4 unicuspid References maxillar structure they have, they are easily distinguished from the other mammal remains in pellet compositions. In Amr, Z. S., Al-Melhim, W. N., Yousef, A. (1997): Mammal remains from pellets this study, the total percentage of S. etruscus samples is of the Eagle owl, Bubo bubo, from Azraq , Jordan. Zoology in the 14: 5-10 0.74%. This ratio is lower than the results of other studies Baran, İ., Kumlutaş, Y., Kaska, Y., Türkozan, O. (1994): Research on the such as West Anatolian samples (4.8%, Niethammer (1989), Amphibia, Reptile and Mammalia species of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan special South Anatolian samples (6.21%) (Obuch & Benda 2009) and protected area. Turkish Journal of Zoology 18: 203-219. Barış, S., Sağlam, Ö., Erciyas, K., Yavuz, N., Özsemir, A.C. (2010): Önemli Bir South-east Anatolian samples (4.87%) (Coşkun & Kaya Doğa Mirası: Kızılırmak Deltası. Kuşlar. DYKD Yayınları, Samsun. 2013). The mean mandibular length of our samples (7.68 Contoli, L. (1980): Borre di Strigiformi e ricerca teriologica in Italia. Natura e mm) is longer compared to the mean mandibular length in Montagna 3: 73–94. [in Italian] Contoli, L., Battisti, C., Buscemi, A. (2000): On the morphology of Suncus Coşkun & Kaya (2013) (6.0 mm) and Contolli et al. (2000) etruscus (Mammalia, Soricidae). A negative relation between size and (6.31-6.80 mm). Mean mandibular height (2.93 mm), mean temperature. Italian Journal of Zoology 67: 329-332. zygomatic width (3.82 mm), mean rostrum height (1.24 mm) Corbet, G. B. (1978): The Mammals of the Palaearctic Region : A Taxonomic Review. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), London. and mean postglenoid width (4.43 mm) is similar to Contolli Coşkun,Y., Kaya, A. (2013): Additional record of Suncus etruscus (Savi, 1822) et al. (2000) (Table 2). (Mammalia: Soricidae) from Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. IUFS Journal of Krystufek & Vohralik (2001) remarks that Bolu (North- Biology 72: 31-35. ern Anatolia) samples (Felten et al. 1973) was inaccurate. Re- Felten, H., Spitzenberger, F., Storch, G. (1973): Zur Kleinsaugerfauna West- Anatoliens Teil III, Senckenbergiana Biologica 58: 1-44. sults of our study suggest the first records of S. etruscus for

64 A.Y. Selçuk & H. Kefelioğlu

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