NESTERENKO V. A., SHEREMETYEV I. S., SHEREMETYEVA I. N.
Amurian zoological journal 2026; XVII(2): 444-459
The Ussuri white-toothed shrew Crocidura lasiura is a common shrew species in the forest-steppe zone of central Northeast Asia. This paper clarifies the features of its distribution, characterizes population dynamics in different habitat types, and describes the specifics of population structure based on stationary studies conducted within the optimal habitat of the species on the Prikhankaiskaya Plain. Based on the status of the Ussuri white-toothed shrew within shrew taxocenes of the southern Russian Far East, three zones characterized by different abundance indices have been distinguished within the refined range boundaries. On the Prikhankaiskaya Plain and the lowlands of the Tumannaya River mouth, this species is dominant and maintains its abundance at a level of 20 individuals per 100 trap-days or more. In the valleys of the Ussuri River and the Middle Amur Lowland, it occupies a secondary position with an abundance of less than five individuals per 100 trap-days. Sporadic occurrence is recorded along the eastern and western macroslopes of the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, as well as in most parts of Upper and Middle Priamurye. The cyclical type of spatial population structure enables the species to utilize the full spectrum of available habitats, including forest vegetation formations. High fecundity, combined with the entry of some young-of-the- year individuals into reproduction, ensures a sharp increase in population size from spring to autumn and the maintenance of long-term abundance levels.
