Overview of the cestode fauna of European shrews of the genus Sorex with comments on the fauna in Neomys and Crocidura and an exploration of historical processes in post-glacial Europe

Abstract

207 SummaryThe cestode fauna in shrews of the genus Sorex from the European region consists of seventeen species. Twelve cestode species have broad Palearctic distributions, three belong to the Western-Asian-European faunistic complex, and only two are endemic to the European zone. Postglacial expansion into the European territory resulted in geographic colonization by sixteen species. The large number of cestode species with transpalearctic ranges, as well as paleontological data indicating a nearly complete faunal turnover for species of Sorex in the Pleistocene, suggests that these parasites are more ancient than the assemblage of contemporary hosts in which they now occur, and thus represent ecological relicts. We suggest that origins of the cestode fauna pre-date those of the modern fauna of its hosts, and that initial formation and radiation occurred not later than the Pliocene. In the current review, we outline testable hypotheses to explore the structure, history and development of this fauna which appears limited to species of Sorex.

Hymenolepis folkertsi n. sp. (Eucestoda: Hymenolepididae) in the oldfield mouse Peromyscus polionotus (Wagner) (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Neotominae) from the southeastern Nearctic with comments on tapeworm faunal diversity among deer mice

“…Some hymenolepidid cestodes in rodents appear to maintain specificity to host genera (Makarikov et al 2013a, b;Makarikov and Tkach 2013). A similar specificity at the level of host genus was observed among hymenolepidids from various Soricidae (Binkienė et al 2011). Faunal assembly and specificity are a reflection of historical and microevolutionary processes that have structured the biosphere and thus lead to predictions about the distribution of helminth diversity in space and time (e.g., Hoberg et al 2012).…”

Checklist of tapeworms (Platyhelminthes, Cestoda) of vertebrates in Finland

“…The only (partial) deviation to this pattern may be Staphylocystoides stefanskii (Żarnowski, 1954), which has been found most frequently from the pygmy shrew Staphylocystoides minutus in Finland (one record from Staphylocystoides araneus ). On the other hand, Staphylocystoides stefanskii is known to parasitize six species of Sorex in Eurasia ( Binkienė et al 2011 ). The tapeworm fauna of the smallest and scarcest Sorex species, the least shrew Sorex minutissimus , is unknown in Finland.…”

“…In Europe, there are only two species that have not been found from Finland, that is, Skrjabinacanthus jacutensis Spasskii & Morozov, 1959 and Soricinia soricis (Baer, 1928). Skrjabinacanthus jacutensis is a rare parasite of Sorex shrews with an extensive but very patchy distribution in Eurasia ( Binkienė et al 2011 ). It is possible that it occurs in Finland, but has not been found yet because of its rarity.…”

“…Among the tapeworms of Sorex shrews, only Spasskylepis ovaluteri Schaldybin, 1964 can be regarded as a northern species; according to Binkienė et al (2011) it has not been reported further south than Belarus in Europe, and it seems to have a northern distribution also elsewhere in Eurasia.…”

Epizoic arthropods of the Mexican Shrew, Sorex oreopolus (Mammalia: Soricidae)

“…Shrews consume large amounts of invertebrates, including worms, crustaceans, and spiders, as well as insects and their larvae (Hope et al 2016). In addition, they a diverse and abundant associated fauna (mainly parasites) (Binkienè et al 2011;Morrone and Acosta 2006). Shrews and their parasites are key indicators to anticipate the consequences of environmental disruption and changes in the interactions between species (Hope et al 2016).…”