Three small species of shrews (Soricidae) from the Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, representing two new taxa and a new record

A recent study identifies two new species of shrews, Crocidura salonga and Crocidura binco, from the Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additionally, it records a first-time sighting of Crocidura lwiroensis since its 2013 description near Lake Tanganyika. The research is based on a small collection of shrews from the central part of the country, utilizing morphological and likely genetic analyses to distinguish these taxa. This discovery contributes significantly to the understanding of shrew biodiversity in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlighting the importance of Salonga National Park as a hotspot for small mammal diversity.

Hutterer, R., Jocque, M., Mertens, J., Mpongo, D. M., & Mbende, M. (2024). Three small species of shrews (Soricidae) from the Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, representing two new taxa and a new record. Mammalia, 88(6), 601–607. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2024-0036