Home ranges of sympatric soricine shrews in Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

Home ranges of sympatric shrews, Sorex unguiculatus Dobson, 1890 S. gracillimus Thomas, 1907 and S. caecutiens Thomas, 1907 were studied by a mark-recepture method during the non-snow covered seasons in northern Hokkaido, 1988 and 1989. Home range size of S. unguiculatus, the largest species (15.1 g for adult males), was not significantly different from that of S. gracillimus, the smallest species (4.4 g for adult males). Both S. unguiculatus and S. gracillimus had more exclusive home ranges within species than between species. Tolerance of home range overlap may be related to the reduction of dietary overlap. No reliable information of home range for S. caecutiens was obtained in this study.