O. Gy. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 22. (Budapest, 1984)

Mészáros, F. ; Demeter, A.: The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus Schinz, 1873), new to the fauna of Hungary 47-50. o.

VERTEBRATA HUNGARICA TOM. XXII. 1984 p. 47-4 9 The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus Schinz, new to the fauna of Hungary 1837), By F. MÉSZÁROS and A. DEMETER (Received November 21, 1983) Abstract: The first specimen of the Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus) in Hungary was captured at an altitude of 500 m a.s.l. on 11 November, 1983 in the Kőszeg Mts of western Hungary. The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus Schinz, 1837) is presently a dlsjunctly distributed and principally montane species. It is known from all the surrounding countries of Hungary from the ranges of the Carpathians and the Austrian Alps, and the mountainous areas of Croatia and Slovenia in Yugoslavia (DULIC et al. 1982, DUDICH & STOLLMANN 1983, KRYSTUFEK 1983, SPITZENBERGER 1966, 1978). This distribution pattern is known to be correlated with the presence or previous occurrence of the silver fir (Abies alba L.), more precisely the plant association Abieto-Fragetum (DUDICH Sc STOLLMANN 1982, DUDICH 1983). Because of the greographical position of Hungary, consisting mainly of lowlands, the occurrence of the Alpine Shrew could be expected only In the westernmost and north-eastern corners of the country. Moreover, because It is known that the silver fir used to be distributed in recent times only in the Kőszeg Mts (FEKETE & BLATTNY 1913), the former locality seemed to be more promising. We joined the "Alpokalja Természeti Képe" (The Natural History of the foothills of the Alps) research programme sponsored by the Savaria Museum of Szombathely In our quest for this species in the abovementloned pin-pointed locality. The first effort to trap for the Alpine Shrew was made by only the senior author on 26 and 27 of June, 1981, at the locality known as Stájerházak, an abandoned foresty station. No Alpine Shrews were found, but 15 Apodemus flavlcollls

, 11 Clethrionomys glareolus and 1 Sorex araneus were captured along the stream deriving Its source from the spring at the Stájerházak. The second trapping trip was made on 10 and 11 of August, 1983, when we trapped at two localities In the Kőszeg Mts; at Hétforrás, in a north-northwestern valley, and again at the Stájerházak. This time, however, an extended trapping Une was set up at the latter locality, with 150 snaptraps. Altogether 26 Apodemus flavicollis

, 35 Clethrionomys glareolus

, 1 Sorex araneus and 1 Sorex alpinus were captured. Locality: Stájerházak, Kőszeg Mts. Date: 11 August, 1983. Subadult male, inventory number 83.68.1, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. Head Description of the specimen