The Crocidura genus is the most species-rich among mammals, yet despite ongoing research, it remains one of the least taxonomically resolved. Due to conserved morphology, high cryptic diversity, and limited genetic data, species delimitation is challenging, leading to species complexes with uncertain relationships. A recent phylogenetic reconstruction of Afrotropical Crocidura shrews highlighted several such complexes in need of taxonomic revision. One such is the Crocidura dolichura clade.
This group, distributed across Central Africa, currently comprises three described species but includes several divergent lineages that may represent undescribed taxa. Among these are C. dolichura, which appears to consist of three geographically and genetically distinct lineages that may themselves represent new species; C. crenata; C. grassei; and two deeply diverged sister lineages of unknown taxonomic status.
This thesis aims to perform a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the C. dolichura clade by integrating genetic, morphological, and geographical data. The student will reconstruct the phylogeny of this complex, compiling cytb data and tissue samples from collaborators and museums, and mapping the distribution of all specimens. The second part of the thesis will analyze species’ external and cranial measurements and will assess skull variation through geometric morphometrics, a method that statistically quantifies shape and size differences to help distinguish closely related species. Resolving these discrepancies will help to clarify the phylogenetic relationships, taxonomy, and geographic distribution of Crocidura in sub-Saharan Africa, moving toward a comprehensive understanding of their diversity.