Barren ground shrew

The barren ground shrew (Sorex ugyunak) is a small shrew found in northern Canada west of Hudson Bay and in Alaska.^[2] At one time, this species was considered to be a subspecies of the similar cinereus shrew (S. cinereus). It is similar in appearance and thought to be closely related to the Saint Lawrence Island shrew (S. jacksoni) and Pribilof Island shrew (S. pribilofensis).

Barren ground shrew[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Soricidae
Genus:	Sorex
Species:	S. ugyunak
Binomial name
Sorex ugyunak Anderson & Rand, 1945
Barren ground shrew range

It is dark brown on its back with grey-brown sides and underparts; the tail is pale brown on top and light below with a light brown tip. Its body is about 8 cm (3.1 in) in length including a 3 cm (1.2 in) long tail. It weighs about 4 g (0.14 oz). This animal is found north of the tree line, in wet meadows or thickets in the tundra. It eats insects, small invertebrates and seeds.

The epithet name ugyunak is the Inuit word for "shrew".

References

1. Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
2. Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Sorex ugyunak". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41423A115185865. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41423A22318262.en. Retrieved 3 December 2023.