Uncovering the diversity of rodents and shrews in the Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia

0574396 - ÚBO 2024 RIV DE eng J - Journal Article
Martynov, A. A. - Zemlemerova, E. D. - Kostin, D. S. - Komarova, V. A. - Gromov, A. R. - Yihune, M. - Tsegaye, A. - Alexandrov, D. Y. - Bekele, A. - Bryja, Josef - Lavrenchenko, L. A.
Uncovering the diversity of rodents and shrews in the Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia.
Mammalia. Roč. 87, č. 5 (2023), s. 451-463. ISSN 0025-1461. E-ISSN 1864-1547
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC20-07091J
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : biogeography * eastern afromontane biodiversity hotspot * Ethiopian montane forest * small mammals * Sudanian savanna
OECD category: Biodiversity conservation
Impact factor: 1, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/mammalia-2022-0127/html

The recently established Chebera Churchura National Park represents a mosaic of savanna and montane evergreen forest. A report on small mammals (2013) showed their relatively high diversity, but species identification was based only on external morphology. We conducted a new field survey and genetic analyses to shed light on diversity and biogeographical affinities of small mammals in this under-explored national park. Based on results of mitochondrial DNA barcoding, 14 species of rodents and two species of shrews, including Crocidura turba (new to the Ethiopian fauna), were identified. Moreover, a new taxon of gerbils presumably representing a new species of the genus Gerbilliscus was discovered. We show that forest and savanna species often inhabit the same localities, which can be explained by the mosaic nature of biotopes. These results document the uniqueness of Chebera Churchura NP, especially in comparison with other Ethiopian national parks, and argue for its protection and further development.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0344722