Appearance
The greater white-toothed shrew is distinguished by a careful examination of its unpigmented teeth. Like other white-toothed shrews, ''C. russula'' lacks the deposition of iron in their enamel at the tips of their teeth. This particular species has a greyish or reddish brown upper coat with a yellowish grey coat in the underside. The greater white-toothed shrews are part of the medium-sized shrews and weigh around 11 to 14 grams. The head and body length of ''C. russula'' is about 6 to 9 cm and the tail length averages to about 3 to 4.3 cm.
Naming
The Osorio shrew of the Canary island of Gran Canaria, originally described as a separate species, was later discovered to be a population of introduced greater white-toothed shrew. Furthermore, a subspecies of the greater white-toothed shrew, ''Crocidura russula ibicensis'', is found on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza.In April 2008, the greater white-toothed shrew was discovered in Ireland as well. Its preferred habitats are grassland and woodland. It is slightly larger than the lesser white-toothed shrew but otherwise very similar and can often be distinguished only by close inspection of its teeth which are unpigmented.
Behavior
The greater white-toothed shrews are classified as semi-social mammals. During winter, ''C. russula'' are found sharing nests and enter torpor. Mated pairs are found guarding their territories together. ''C. russula'' are highly monogamous and exhibit a female-biased dispersal, which is highly uncommon in mammals.This dispersal pattern can also occur due to infiltration and migration to empty breeding sites. Nonetheless, this dispersal pattern is a preventative measure for inbreeding. The greater white-toothed shrew can be very vocal. ''C. russula'' possess a primitive form of echolocation where they produce a high pitched twittering call to interpret their environment. The use of this laryngeal call and vibrissae allow the shrews to find their way around their environment. There have not been any concrete reports on the modes of communication used by this species, however, vocalization and tactile and chemical cues are likely to be used.
Habitat
''C. russula'' are found in temperate regions with plentiful insects. They are generally found in habitats such as grasslands, woodlands, hedgegrows and prime agricultural areas. To prepare for colder seasons, these shrews can be found living near farms and gardens. The greater white-toothed shrews tend to build their nest under stones, logs and in abandoned burrows. Typically these shrews are found in elevations below 1000 meters.Reproduction
The greater white-toothed shrew typically experiences one breeding season in its entire lifetime, whereby fertilization occurs right after parturition. ''C. russula'' breed mainly from March to September, producing about four litters which can contain anywhere from 2 to 10 young. The sexual maturity in this species is fairly quick. The litters remain in their parental territory till the next breeding season.Food
The greater white toothed shrew is a carnivore, feeding mainly on invertebrates and occasionally small rodents, lizards and small amphibians.References:
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