The origin of shrews 2024
Yuan et al 2024 reported on
‘the origin and evolution of shrews (Scoricidae, Mammalia).‘
Figure 1. Apternodus and Scutisorex to scale.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-90694″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Apternodus and Scutisorex to scale.” width=”584″ height=”422″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg?w=584&h=422 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg?w=150&h=108 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg?w=300&h=217 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/apternodus.skull3views588-1.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
From the abstract,
“Shrews are among the most speciose of mammalian clades, but their evolutionary history is poorly understood. Their fossil record is fragmentary and even the anatomy of living groups is not well documented. Here, we incorporate the oldest, most complete fossil
shrew yet known into the first phylogenetic analysis of the group to include molecular, morphological and temporal data.”
Figure 2. Scutisorex (below) and Crocidura (above) are extant shrews.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg?w=272″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-24319″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Scutisorex (below) and Crocidura (above) are extant shrews.” width=”584″ height=”644″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg?w=584&h=644 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg?w=136&h=150 136w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg?w=272&h=300 272w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/scutisorex_lat588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Unfortunately taxon exclusion hobbles this study.
The cladogram includes the following LRT taxa: Solendon, Uropsilus, Echinosorex, Erinaceus, Talpa, but not the shres, Scutisorex, Apternodus, nor the proximal outgroup taxa in the LRT: Potamogale, Microgale, Limnogale, Micropotamogale, Desmana, Deinogalerix, Setifer, Brachyerix and Ottoryctes, among taxa between shrews Erinaceus, the hedgehog.
In the LRT Talpa and Uropsilus are not related to shrews.
The authors reported,
“The fossil record of soricids consists primarily of isolated jaws and teeth of Eocene and younger ages in Eurasia and North America. Well-preserved, cranial remains are rare and most associated specimens are Miocene or younger.”
The large reptile tree (LRT, 2331 taxa) minimizes taxon exclusion by including a wide gamut of taxa. Extant taxa (with well-preserved remains) are available in specimen jars and out in the field. Extinct taxa employed by the LRT are also rather well preserved. Some nesting close to shrews should not be overlooked.
References
Yuan H et al. (4 co-authors) 2024. The origin and evolution of shrews (Scoricidae, Mammalia). Proc. R. Soc. B 291: 20241856. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.1856
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/01/14/the-origin-of-shrews-2024/