The first record of Laxmann’s shrew (Sorex caecutiens) with completely white pelage, captured in Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

An individual of Laxmann’s shrew (Sorex caetutiens Laxmann, 1788) with completely white pelage was captured on 5 December, 2011 in Hamanaka-cho, Hokkaido, Japan. It was captured alive by a house cat and kept in a cage until it died on 12 May, 2012. It is the first record of S. caetutiens with a completely white pelage in Japan. Owing to its pinkish skin and iris, it seems to be albinistic rather than leucistic, although the gene causing the white pelage has not been determined yet. This specimen (skin, skull and bodies in ethanol) was tentatively deposited at the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University.