Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 38(1) 1995

Issue:

VOL 38(1) 1995

Keywords:

Europe, Mammalia, Soricidae, zoogeography, paleoecology

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Climate and history of European shrews (family Soricidae)

• Barbara RZEBIK-KOWALSKA

Abstract:

This paper reviews the history, faunal transformations and migrations of Recent and fossil, especially Plio-Pleistocene, shrews (Soricidae) of Europe on the basis of the climatic requirements of Recent taxa and distributions of Recent and fossil forms. It is concluded that Soricidae are more successful and diversified in warm and humid climates and that the climatic cooling which has taken place since the Villanyian resulted in the extinction or decreased ranges of numerous soricids. This impoverishement of the shrew fauna of Europe during the Plio-Pleistocene progressed from the west toward the east.