The Balearic shrew (''Nesiotites hidalgo'') is an extinct species of

shrew Shrews (family Soricidae) are small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla. True shrews are not to be confused with treeshrews, otter shrews, elephant shrews, West Indies shrews, or marsupial shrews, which belong to diffe ...

from

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bale ...

and

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...

, in the Balearic Islands of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

, belonging to the endemic genus ''

Nesiotites ''Asoriculus'' is an extinct genus of terrestrial shrews in the subfamily Soricinae (red-toothed shrews) and tribe Nectogalini. The best known species, ''Asoriculus gibberodon'' was widespread in Europe from the Late Miocene to the Early Pleis ...

.'' It was one of three native land mammals to the Balearic Islands, alongside ''

Myotragus ''Myotragus'' (Neo-Latin, derived from the Greek: , and "Balearian mouse-goat"), is an extinct genus of goat-antelope in the tribe Caprini which lived on the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Menorca in the western Mediterranean until its extin ...

'' and ''

Hypnomys ''Hypnomys'', otherwise known as Balearic giant dormice, is an extinct genus of dormouse (Gliridae) in the subfamily Leithiinae. Its species are considered examples of island gigantism, insular gigantism. They were endemic to the Balearic Islands ...

. Nesotites'' has been present in the Balearic Islands for over 5 million years since the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene, and is the final and largest

chronospecies A chronospecies is a species derived from a sequential development pattern that involves continual and uniform changes from an extinct ancestral form on an evolutionary scale. The sequence of alterations eventually produces a population that is p ...

of the lineage. It was relatively large for a shrew, being estimated to weigh between 20 and 30 grams. Among living shrews it is most closely related to the

Himalayan shrew The Himalayan shrew (''Soriculus nigrescens'') is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त� ...

, from which it diverged around 6.44 million years ago and has a probable close relationship with the extinct genus ''

Asoriculus ''Asoriculus'' is an extinct genus of terrestrial shrews in the subfamily Soricinae (red-toothed shrews) and tribe Nectogalini. The best known species, ''Asoriculus gibberodon'' was widespread in Europe from the Late Miocene to the Early Pleist ...

'' of mainland Europe and Corsica-Sardinia''.''

References

Nesiotites Extinct mammals of Europe Extinct mammals Holocene extinctions Endemic fauna of the Balearic Islands {{redtoothed-shrew-stub

See also

References