Morphometric variation of the common shrew <i>Sorex araneus</i> in Ukraine, in relation to geoclimatic factors and karyotype
Comparisons were made of chromosomal and macro-morphological variation in two widespread chromosome races of the common shrew <i>Sorex araneus </i>Linnaeus, 1758 in the Ukraine using multivariate statistics. Representatives of the Kiev and Neroosa races cannot reliably be identified from craniometric characteristics. Within the two chromosome races, however, we observed a relationship between morphology and geography. About 60% of morphological variance could be explained by the influence of geoclimatic factors. It was confirmed that ecogeography is more important than karyotype as a morphological determinant in the common shrew. Highly differentiated southern Ukrainian forms of <i>S. araneus </i>may be regarded as ecotypes.