Bui T.H., Motokawa M., Biswas J.K., Abramov A.V., Ly N.T., Vu T.D., Nguyen T.S. 2023. Morphological analysis of two Asiatic water shrews (Chimarrogale, Eulipotyphla) from Vietnam // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.22. No.2. P.85–96 [in English].
Bui Tuan Hai [tuanhai@eulipotyphla.com], Institute of Genome Research, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Hanoi 10072, Vietnam, and The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Masaharu Motokawa [motokawa.masaharu.6m@kyoto-u.ac.jp], The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Jadab Kumar Biswas [jadabbiswas@yahoo.com], Department of Zoology, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh; Alexei V. Abramov [alexei.abramov@zin.ru], Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia, and Joint Vietnamese–Russian Tropical Research and Technological Centre, Nguyen Van Huyen, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam; Ly Ngoc Tu [ngoctu1890@gmail.com], Center of Science and Technology, Hanoi Metropolitan University, 98 Duong Quang Ham, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam, and Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, VAST, Hanoi 10072, Vietnam; Vu Thuy Duong [vuthuyduong.xd@gmail.com], and Nguyen Truong Son [truongsoniebr@gmail.com], Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources and Graduate University of Science and Technology, VAST, Hanoi 10072, Vietnam; Vietnam National University of Forestry, Xuan Mai, Chuong My, Hanoi, Vietnam.
doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.22.2.01
ABSTRACT. The patterns of morphometric variation in external body and skull characters of two Asiatic water shrews (Chimarrogale himalayica and C. varennei) from Vietnam were analysed using different indices of variability. A total of 28 specimens were studied. Univariate, multivariate, and allometric analyses were conducted on 21 measurements of 26 skulls, while univariate analysis was conducted on three external measurements of 24 specimens. An external comparison showed that C. himalayica is larger than C. varennei. The mean (M) of skull measurements was used as an independent variable to regress the coefficient of variation (CV) and standard deviation (SD). The CVs did not differ significantly between two species and exhibited an inverse relationship with the M of skull measurements. CV trends of major functional parts of the skull showed that incisor length, brain-case size, postglenoid breadth, and mandible length presented opposing differences between the two species. In addition, C. himalayica had the highest allometric coefficient for the overall skull length, whereas C. varennei had the highest allometric coefficient for the postorbital region. Our study also revealed that the facial musculoskeletal system of C. himalayica is more developed than in C. varennei.
KEY WORDS: Soricidae, allometry, coefficient of variation, univariate and multivariate analyses, variation.