Description of a new endemic species of shrew (Mammalia, Soricomorpha) from Principe Island (Gulf of Guinea)

Sao Tome and Principe are unique islands off the Gulf of Guinea on account of the high degree of endemism in these areas due to isolation. These islands are known to harbor, among others, two species of shrews of the genus Crocidura: C. thomensis, endemic to Sao Tome; and C. poensis, found on Principe and common in central Africa. Owing to the uncertainty surrounding the taxonomic status of the population of C. poensis from Principe Island, we conducted morphometric and molecular analyses of newly collected specimens and compared them against Sao Tome and mainland African specimens. Our results show that the shrew population from Principe Island is a separate species: Crocidura fingui sp. nov.