A New Species of Shrew (Soricomorpha: Crocidura) from West Java, Indonesia

We document the existence of a new species of shrew (Soricomorpha, Soricidae, Crocidura) in West Java, Indonesia, using both morphological and genetic data. Relative to other Southeast Asian Crocidura, the new species is medium-sized with a slender body and long tail, which together readily distinguish it from all other Javan shrews. Morphological differences between the new species and Crocidura paradoxura, another longtailed shrew that is endemic to Sumatra, are subtle, but genetic differences suggest a long, independent evolutionary history. This description brings to 5 the total number of species of Crocidura recognized from Java. All 5 species are endemic to the island and as many as 4 occur in syntopy. Further investigation is needed to document geographical ranges of shrew species on Java, especially along the island’s east–west climatic gradient, where previously proposed subspecies boundaries may be coincident with transitions in precipitation patterns. Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 95, No. 2. Hal. 216-224