DIETS AND HABITAT PREFERENCES OF 3 SPECIES OF CROCIDURINE SHREWS IN ARID SOUTHERN AFRICA

The diets and habitat preferences of three species of crocidurine shre ws, Crocidura cyanea, C. fuscomurina, and C. hirta (Insectivora: Soric idae), were studied in arid areas of Namibia in March and April, 1992. Simultaneous sampling of the prey ingested and available along Foragi ng trails showed that, although the shrews are generalist insectivores that take most types of prey from the range available, each species s elected Araneida, Chilopoda, Isoptera, and insect larvae but avoided F ormicidae. The preferred prey were mostly soft-bodied with a relativel y high ratio of body water to energy content, which may assist in main tenance of body water balance. The three species showed inconsistent p references for rarer categories of prey such as Thysanura and Orthopte ra, as well as for Coleoptera. Each species of shrew selected sires pr oviding dense ground level vegetation and deep leaf litter, with the p reference for cover being strongest in C. fuscomurina. Dense vegetatio n probably provides shelter from predators and high daytime temperatur es; both C. fuscomurina and C. hirta used denser vegetation by day tha n by night. Each species foraged in leaf litter, perhaps increasing ac cess to preferred types of prey. Preference for moist soil, especially in C. fuscomurina, probably also reflects increased access to preferr ed prey, although moist soil may also facilitate burrow construction, Because patterns of habitat and diet selection appear to be linked, fu ture research on resource use in these shrews should be pursued most f ruitfully in field experiments or captive laboratory trials.