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DISTRIBUTIONAL OCCURRENCE AND STATUS OF THE LEAST SHREW (CRYPTOTIS PARVA) IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS Joshua Laerm123, Eric Brown3, Lisa Lepardo13, Michael A. Menzel3 and William M. Ford4 'Museum of Natural History, 2!nstitute of Ecology, 3 Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602; 'USDA Forest Service, Southeast Forest Experiment Station New Ellenton, SC 29809 Address all correspondence to: Joshua Laerm, Director Museum of Natural History University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602 ABSTRACT The first records of the least shrew. Cryptotis parva are reported from the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley Provinces of Georgia. Review of distributional records of the least shrew throughout the Appalachian Highlands of Alabama. Georgia. North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee indicate it to be widely distributed, but uncommon to rare regionally. INTRODUCTION The least shrew Cryptotis parua (Say. 1823) ranges throughout most of the eastern half of the United States from the Great Lakes south to Florida, west to the Great Plains and south into Central America (1). Range maps provided in general references such as Whitaker (2). Hall (1). and Choate. et al. (3) indicate the range of C. paruus to include all of Georgia. However, based upon his review of museum and published specimen records. Golley (4) indicated there were no distributional records known from the Blue Ridge or Ridge and Valley Provinces in Georgia. We report here on the first records of C. parva from these regions of Georgia and review distributional records in adjacent regions of the southern Appalachian Highlands. METHODS Pitfall surveys were conducted from 3 July, 1993 to 30 April, 1995. Included were 107 sites representing a range of vegetational communities, serai stages, elevations and other physical and environmental aspects in the Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley, and Cumberland Plateau provinces of Georgia and the Blue Ridge Province of North Carolina and South Carolina. At each site, twenty 946 cm3

DISTRH LAERM. BROWN. LEPARDO. ME.NZEL and FORD plastic cups (11 cm lip diameter and 14 cm depth) filled with approximately 0.131 5% formalin solution were placed along a linear transect at 10 m intervals below or flush to ground level adjacent to course woody debris (i.e.. downed logs, stumps, brush) or rock outcrops. Traps were checked on a biweekly basis. Standard body measurements in mm of total, tail and hind foot lengths and sex were recorded from individuals collected, and all specimens were reposited in the mammal collections of the University of Georgia Museum of Natural History-. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

tus. Cryptotis ppendix). Shernty. In the Blue rotis recovered • of the Cheroon's recovered of the Cherods were recovloky Mountain ilished sources •)m the southecords for C. \. •2 Upper Piedisults. Ford et

al. ( / ) report seven Cryptotis from 6.953 pitfall trap nights from six localities in Stephens County. Georgia. The number of Cryptotis caught is comparable to the capture rate of other soricids: eight Blarina breuicauda. three Screx fumeus. and nine So rex longirostris. Similarly, in the Upper Piedmont of western South Carolina. Mengak et al. (8) caught 39 Cryptotis during a 61.404 snap and pitfall trap night effort that resulted in the capture of 35 Blarina brevicauda. 155 B. carolinensis. 17 So rex fumeus and 116S. longirostris. Our pittall surveys throughout the Ridge and Valley Province of Georgia totaled 1.950 trap nights from six localities. We report here on the first record of Cryptotis from this region of Georgia. A single specimen was taken at Stover Creek, 6 km NW Carbondale. Whitfield County (30 April 1995: male: 64-14-10 mm). The capture site was upslope of a small creek (approximately 320 m elevation) and dominated by white oak, hickory, eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata). and mountain laurel (Kalmia 'atifolia). Other soricids taken in the Ridge and Valley include Blarina carolinensis and So rex Iong/rosrris. Cryptotis is known from the Ridge and Valley of Tennessee, but apparently not Alabama (see Appendix). Goiley (4) previously reported the occurrence of Cryptotis on the Cumberland Plateau based apparently upon three museum records (see Appendix). Our pitfall surveys (25.740 trap nights at 10 localities) on the Cumberland Plateau resulted in the capture of a single specimen of Cryptotis taken at Rape Gap. Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Walker County (25 September 1994: male: 66-16-10 mm). The capture site (approximately 170 m) was dominated by yellow poplar, white oak. and white pine. Other soricids taken at our Cumberland Plateau localities include Blarina carolinensis. Sorex fumeus. S. hoyi. and S. longirostris. Additional museum and published records from the Cumberland Plateau of Alabama and Tennessee are provided in the Appendix. Because of its wide distribution. Cryptotis is reported from a diversity of habitats (2). It is most commonly associated with oldfield and early successional habitats including grassy, weedy and brushy fields (1. 9. 10. 11. 12). but throughout the southern Appalachians it is known from essentially all forest cover types (see references above and Appendix). Available information suggests it is uncommon to rare in older serai stages of hardwood and coniferous cover types, particularly at higher elevations in the southern Appalachians. Whitaker (2) noted the least shrew to be unknown above 905 m in the United States. However, we report it at 1036 m in Georgia. Similarly. Pagels (13) reported it as high as 1524 m in Virginia as did Harvey et al. (6) in eastern Tennessee. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was funded in part by the United States Forest Service, the University of Georgia Museum of Natural History, and NSF grant BSR 901 1661. Specimens were collected under authority of Georgia Scientific Collecting Permit 29-000089.

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APPENDIX Specimen Records of Cryptotis parva in the southern Appalachian region of Alabama. Georgia. Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina. Museum acronyms are based upon Yates et al. (15). CUMBERLAND PLATEAU. Museum Records ALABAMA: Jackson Co.: Sand Mountain, near Carpenter. 1 (USNM): Dekalb Co. Mentone, Lookout Mountain. 2 (AMNH). GEORGIA: Dade Co.: Trenton. 3 (CAS). TENNESSEE: Campbell Co.. 7 mi. S Jellico. 1 (MSUMZ): Marion Co.: Shellmond. 4 (CAS): 1.1 mi. SE Foster Fails. 1 (MSUMZ): Sequatchie Co.: 3 mi. N Dunlap. 1 (MSUMZ). Additional records (numbers in parentheses refer to references) ALABAMA: Jackson Co. Sand Mountain, near Carpenter (16. 17): Marshal! Co. near Oleander (16. 17)). TENNESSEE: Bledsoe Co.: 1.5 mi. SE Pikeville (18). RIDGE AND VALLEY Museum records TENNESSEE: Knox Co.: 10 mi. E Knoxville. 4 (UK). Additional records TENNESSEE: Knox Co.: 1 mi. W Bearden (12): Washington Co.: (12. 19. 20). BLUE RIDGE Museum records GEORGIA: Union Co.: 1.6 km SW Suches, 1 (UGAMNH): Abercrombie bald. 1 (UGAMNH): Sosebee Cove. 1 (UGAMNH): Bryant Gap. 1 (UGAMNH). NORTH CAROLINA: Buncombe Co.: Weaverville. 3 (AMNH): Enka. 2 (UMMZ): Little Pisgah. 1 (NCSM): Clay Co.: I (NCS). TENNESSEE: Carter Co.: Roan Mountain. 1 (UK): Seuier Co.; Great Smoky Mountains. 45 (32 CAS: 13. GSMNP). Additional records NORTH CAROLINA: Henderson Co. (22). SOUTH CAROLINA: Oconee Co.: Jocassee (23) TENNESSEE: Carter Co. (21): Seuier Co.; Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13.24): Cherokee National Forest, Unaka District. Dick Creek Watershed (6). REFERENCES 1 Hall ER: "Mammals of North America." Second Edition. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1981, Vol. 1. 600 p. 2. Whitaker JO Jr: Cryptotis parva. Mammalian Species 43: 1-8. 1974. 3. Choate JR. Jones JK Jr and Jones C. "Handbook of mammals of the south central states." Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. 1994. p304 4. Golley FB: "Mammals of Georgia." Athens: University of Georgia Press. 1962, P 218.

DISiRIBUTIONAL r 5. Harvey MJ. < ogy of srr (Southern : Manuscrip: tion of WV-. P6. Harvey MJ. ' ogy of si"; (Northern Manuscrip tion of W p. / . Ford WM. L tion of sh> Forest of ( 48 (in pre8. Mengak MT. dance and 13: 63-6( 9. Hamilton RE in lobloilvRep 68: S 10. Hamilton V> 154-155. 11. Davis WB < shrew. J V 12. Howeli JC: grown fieli 13. Linzey DVV National P 14. Pagels JF: , (Say). Virc 15. Yates TL. B lections of 16. Howeli Ar 1921. 17. Holliman D Univ AL. • 18. Howeli CH and Carte Tenn Acac 19. Giles JM: S Johnson C 20. Nagel JW: < nessee. Ar 21. Smith CR. ( of northea

IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS 5. Harvey MJ. Chaney CS and McGimsey MD: Distribution, status, and ecology of small mammals of the Cherokee National Forest. Tennessee (Southern Districts). Repon to the United States Forest Service. Cookville: Manuscript on file. Center for the Management. Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources. Tennessee Technological University. 1991. 65 P6. Harvey MJ, McGimsey MD and Chaney CS: Distribution, status, and ecology of small mammals of the Cherokee National Forest. Tennessee (Northern Districts). Report to the United States Forest Service. Cookville: Manuscript on file. Center for the Management, Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources. Tennessee Technological University. 1992. 72 P/. Ford WM. Laerm J. Weinand DC and Barker KG: Abundance and distribution of shrews and other small mammals in the Chattahoochee National Forest of Georgia. Proc. Ann. Conf Southeast. Fish and Wiidl. Agencies 48 (in press). 1994. 8. Mengak MT. Guynn DC Jr. Edwards JK. Sanders DL and Miller SM: Abundance and distribution of shrews in western South Carolina. Brimieyana 13: 63-66. 1987. 9. Hamilton RB, Ellsworth SW and Smith JC: The mammalian use of habitat in loblolly-shortleaf pine type in Louisiana. U.S. Forest Service Gen Tech Rep 68: 81-91, 1987. 10. Hamilton WJ Jr: Habits of Cryprons parva in New York. J Mamm. 15: 154-155. 1934. 1. Davis WB and Joeris L: Notes on the life history of the little short-tailed shrew. J Mamm. 25: 370-403. 1945. 12. Howell JC: Populations and home ranges of small mammals on an overgrown field. J Mamm 35: 177-186, 1954.. 13. Linzey DW and Linzey AV: Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. J Elisha Mitchell Soc 84: 384-414, 1968. 14. Pagels JF: A high elevation record for the least shrew. Cryptotis parva (Say). Virginia J Sci 42: 361-362. 1991. 15. Yates TL. Barber WR and Armstrong DM: Survey of North American collections of recent mammals. J Mamm (supp.) 68: 1-76. 1987. 16 Howell AH: A biological survey of Alabama. N Amer Fauna 45:1 -88. 1921. 17 Holliman DC: The mammals of Alabama. University: Unpub. PhD Diss. Univ AL p 308. 1963. 18 Howell CH and JC Conaway: Observations on the mammals of Johnson and Carter counties. Tennessee, and Avery County. North Carolina. J Tenn Acad Sci 28: 53-61. 1952. 19. Giles JM: Small mammals of Washington and Unicoi counties. Tennessee. Johnson City: Upubl MS Thesis East Tenn State Univ. p 57. 1969. 20 Nagel JW: Observations of the second record of the least weasel in Tennessee. Amer Mid Nat 87: 553. 1972. 21. Smith CR. Giles J. Richmond ME. Nagel and Yambert DW: The mammals of northeastern Tennessee. J Tenn Acad Sci 49: 88-94. 1974.

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22. Lee SD. Funderburg JB Jr and Clark MK: "A distributional survey of North Carolina Mammals." Raleigh: Occas Pap North Car Biol Surv 198'' 70 p. 23. Sherman F: Some mammals of western South Carolina. J Mamm 18- 512513. 24. Komarek EV and Komarek R: Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains. Bull Chicago Acad Sci 5: 137-162. 1938.

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The Georgia Acad. Georgia who are engt science." The purpcparticularly in Georgia The Georgia Acadi profit organization in "definite achievement was set at fifty. This ni: merical limitation was Fellows, but today thiresidents of Georgia a; the Georgia Acadenu from all scientific dis,. addition to direct mer Academy is also pos; Georgia Geological S< the Council, which is ti The primary activii Meeting and the Georc recognized scientific pi and in many foreign c. sue being devoted to ti The Annual Meetint terested in the develop, of the Academy b> endeavor, and the Ar Sections. In order to ; session of the Annual participates. The Georgia Junk' science clubs under t: President of the Geo> Academy is its Annua. eral years, the benefit and the University of ( the State Science Fair. Membership in the the publication of the District Science Failassociate with their c, the Annual Meeting: r the one state-wide ; promotion of the inte;

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GEORGIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Department of Oral Biology Medical College of Georgia Augusta, GA 30912-1122

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 111 AUGUSTA, GA

GEORGIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Presl9iif:

Andy C. Reese

Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy Medical College of Georgia Augusta. GA 30912

President - Elect:

Martha A. Leake

Department Of Physics. Astronomy and Geology Valdosta State University Valdosta. GA31698

Secretary:

George E. Stanton

Department of Biology Columbus College Columbus, GA 31907-2079

Treasurer:

Hubert B. Kinser

Division of Natural Science and Mathematics Dalton College Dalton, GA 30720

SECTION COl JNCILORS

GEORGIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Volume 53

1995

Number 4

Contents President's Comments

167

Investigation of a Possible Cluster of Multiple Sclerosis Cases James S. Franklin, Meridith Shead, Lisa M. Walters, Leicia M. Whittemore, Russell E. Stullken, John B. Black, Jack Austin 1 (V' Approximating the Electrostatic Contribution to AS for Aqueous Phase Lan thanide-Aminocarboxylate Complexation at Different Ionic Strengths Thomas J. Manning 17.r' Wideband Photometry of Saturn in 1994 Richard W. Schmude, Jr.

I. Biological Sciences E. H. Barman. Georgia College

18

Distributional Occurrence and Status of the Least Shrew (Cryptotis Parva) in the Southern Appalachians Joshua Laerm, Eric Brown, Lisa Lepardo, Michael A. Menzel, and William M. Ford 189

II. Chemistry f,$d. Elizabeth Derrick. Valdosta State University HI. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ,',Eddie Robertson, Reinhardt College IV..,Physics, Mathematics and Computer Sciences Surendra N. Pandey. Albany State College V. Btomedical Sciences Royce R. Runner. Eisenhower Army Medical Center VI. Philosophy and History of Science Tom McMullen. Georgia Southern University VII. Science Education Julian Hood, Independence High School VIII. Anthropology ;JRay Crook, West Georgia College IXJlJngineering and Technology 'Arnold E. Somers, Valdosta State University

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