Sorex cinereus

Kerr, 1792

Masked Shrew

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Eulipotyphla
Suborder : Erinaceota
Family : Soricidae
Subfamily : Soricinae
Tribe : Soricini
Genus : Sorex
Subgenus : Otisorex

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Kerr, R. 1792. The Animal Kingdom, or Zoological System of the celebrated Sir Charles Linnaeus. Class I. Mammalia. A. Strahan, T. Cadell, and W. Creech, Edinburgh, 462 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664230

Original name as described

Sorex arcticus cinereus

Other common names

Cinereus Shrew · Maryland Shrew · Eastern Shrew

Type material

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Type locality

Fort Severn, Ontario, Canada.

Biogeographic realm

Nearctic

Country distribution

Canada · United States

Subregion distribution

USA(AK,WA,ID,CO,MT,WY,UT,NM,ND,SD,NE,KS,MN,WI,MI,IA,IN,IL,OH,MO,KY,TN,GA,SC,NC,VA,WV,MD,DC,DE,NJ,PA,NY,CT,RI,MS,VT,NH,ME)

Taxonomy notes

tentatively includes fontinalis, although further studies using integrative taxonomic methods are needed and some authors still retain fontinalis as a distinct species

Taxonomy notes citation

Woodman, N. (2018). American Recent Eulipotyphla: Nesophontids, solenodons, moles, and shrews in the New World. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 650, 1-107. · Diersing, V. E. (2024). The Tuckahoe Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus nigriculus Green, 1932, Warrants Recognition as a Distinct Subspecies. Northeastern Naturalist, 31(3), 339-354. · Diersing, V. E. (2025). Status of the Maryland Shrew, Sorex fontinalis Hollister, 1911, based on new morphological and distributional evidence from Pennsylvania and adjacent states. Journal of Mammalogy, gyaf015.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1004228

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Sorex arcticus cinereus

Kerr, 1792

Family

Soricidae

Root name

cinereus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

untraced (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

206

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664230

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Kerr (1792:206, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664230) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36283)

Sorex personatus

I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827

Family

Soricidae

Root name

personatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

319

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25395891

Authority publication

Dictionnaire Classique d'Histoire Naturelle

Name usages

  1. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1827:319, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25395891) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41021)
  2. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1827:122, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34993548) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67434)
  3. Fischer (1829:255) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59856)
  4. Lesson (1836:240, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/62814923) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61467)
  5. Murray (1866:343, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580339) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  6. Miller (1895:53, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45540195) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14563)
  7. Merriam (1895:60, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45540202) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14562)
  8. Rhoads (1896:202, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1675544) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14622)
  9. Allen (1896:257) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15952)
  10. Allen (1903:564) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15978)
  11. Bailey (1905:207, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25801870) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14873)
  12. Swarth (1911:150, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29510874) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68774)
  13. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex Forsteri

J. Richardson, 1828

Family

Soricidae

Root name

forsteri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1842.10.7.2

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/e01f35f8-6f2b-49d2-97db-a62be25362ea

Authority page

516

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2339593

Authority publication

Zoological Journal

Name usages

  1. Richardson (1828:516, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2339593) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/56722)
  2. Gapper (1830:201, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13380873) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68621)
  3. Lesson (1836:241, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/62814924) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/61467)
  4. Blainville (1838:740, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27514349) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68639)
  5. Murray (1866:343, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580339) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  6. True (1885:606, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306400) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)
  7. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex Cooperi

Bachman, 1837

Family

Soricidae

Root name

cooperi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

388

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24677062

Authority publication

Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Name usages

  1. Murray (1866:343, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580339) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  2. True (1885:606, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306400) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)
  3. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Corsira Forsteri

(J. E. Gray, 1838)

Family

Soricidae

Root name

forsteri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

124

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30571009

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Gray (1838:124, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30571009) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34967)
  2. Lesson (1842:89) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Otisorex platyrhinus

(De Kay, 1842)

Family

Soricidae

Root name

platyrhinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

22

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2003477

Authority publication

New York

Name usages

Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Amphisorex lesueurii

(Duvernoy, 1842)

Family

Soricidae

Root name

lesueurii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

33

Authority publication

Magasin de zoologie

Sorex Le Suerii

H. R. Schinz, 1845

Family

Soricidae

Root name

lesuerii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

appendix p. 29

Authority publication

Solothurn

Sorex acadicus

Gilpin, 1865

Family

Soricidae

Root name

acadicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:59647

Type kind

neotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3c204a3aa-3e26-4b77-8cdb-f67fbaca3c6b

Authority page

2

Authority publication

Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova-Scotian Institute of Natural Science

Sorex platyrhinus

A. Murray, 1866

Family

Soricidae

Root name

platyrhinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

343

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580339

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Murray (1866:343, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580339) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  2. True (1885:606, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306400) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)

Sorex idahoensis

C. H. Merriam, 1891

Family

Soricidae

Root name

idahoensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:23527 (= USNM:MAMM:A30945)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/39a090b76-013d-4a3d-9051-2957a7393999

Authority page

32

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25798836

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex personatus streatori

C. H. Merriam, 1895

Family

Soricidae

Root name

streatori

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:73537

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3f193c9b4-e99e-4983-a078-7c210d43b2f6

Authority page

62

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45540204

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

  1. Merriam (1895:62, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45540204) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14562)
  2. Allen (1903:565) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/15978)
  3. Swarth (1911:150, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29510874) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68774)

Sorex personatus miscix

Bangs, 1899

Family

Soricidae

Root name

miscix

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MCZ:Mamm:BANGS-8651

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Mamm:BANGS-8651

Authority page

15

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12603347

Authority publication

Proceedings of the New England Zoological Club

Sorex personatus arcticus

C. H. Merriam, 1900

Family

Soricidae

Root name

arcticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

USNM:MAMM:99305

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/357b91e0b-dc2e-49a8-8545-0a853e315395

Authority page

17

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8872021

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Washington Academy of Sciences

Sorex personatus fossidens

B. Brown, 1908

Family

Soricidae

Root name

fossidens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH FM-12400

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

171

Authority publication

Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History

Sorex fontinalis

Hollister, 1911

Family

Soricidae

Root name

fontinalis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:85439

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3b3a995da-9a71-4fc0-9e68-3fd58c080dad

Authority page

378

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15845639

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1928:56, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804919) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:92) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Corbet & Hill (1991:29) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  4. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1004238) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  5. Diersing (2025:10) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69448)

Sorex cinereus

H. H. T. Jackson, 1925

Family

Soricidae

Root name

cinereus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

56

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1925:56) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41613)
  2. Jackson (1928:38, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804901) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  3. Hall (1934:365) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69519)
  4. Poole (1937:96) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12359)
  5. Necker & Hatfield (1941:42) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69510)
  6. Corbet & Hill (1980:25) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  7. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:91, 92) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  8. Corbet & Hill (1991:29) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
  9. Hutterer (1993:113) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/65737)
  10. Arroyo-Cabrales, Polaco & Johnson (2002:111) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57756)
  11. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)
  12. Bradley, Ammerman, Baker, Bradley, Cook, Dowler, Jones, Schmidly, Stangl, Van Den Bussche & Würsig (2014:9, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57785989) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/19157)
  13. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #41392) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  14. Wilson & Mittermeier (2018:415) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/57916)
  15. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #41392) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  16. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1004228) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  17. Diersing (2024:346) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68006)
  18. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41392/115183208) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)
  19. Diersing (2025:11) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69448)

Sorex cinereus cinereus

H. H. T. Jackson, 1925

Family

Soricidae

Root name

cinereus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

56

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1925:56) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41613)
  2. Jackson (1928:40, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804903) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  3. Hall (1934:365) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69519)
  4. Poole (1937:96) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12359)
  5. Necker & Hatfield (1941:42) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69510)
  6. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)
  7. Diersing (2024:346) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68006)
  8. Diersing (2025:11) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69448)

Sorex cinereus hollisteri

H. H. T. Jackson, 1925

Family

Soricidae

Root name

hollisteri

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

USNM:MAMM:99305

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/357b91e0b-dc2e-49a8-8545-0a853e315395

Authority page

55

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1925:55) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41613)
  2. Jackson (1928:55, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804918) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  3. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex cinereus miscix

H. H. T. Jackson, 1925

Family

Soricidae

Root name

miscix

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

56

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1925:56) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41613)
  2. Jackson (1928:50, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804913) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  3. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex cinereus streatori

H. H. T. Jackson, 1925

Family

Soricidae

Root name

streatori

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

56

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Jackson (1925:56) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/41613)
  2. Jackson (1928:53, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25804916) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/16605)
  3. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex frankstounensis

O. A. Peterson, 1926

Family

Soricidae

Root name

frankstounensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

CM 11159a

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

292

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53238449

Authority publication

Annals of Carnegie Museum

Name usages

Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex cinereus nigriculus

M. M. Green, 1932

Family

Soricidae

Root name

nigriculus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:51413

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:51413

Authority page

387

Authority publication

University of California Publications in Zoology

Name usages

  1. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)
  2. Diersing (2024:348) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68006)

Sorex cinereus fontinalis

E. L. Poole, 1937

Family

Soricidae

Root name

fontinalis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

96

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Name usages

  1. Poole (1937:96) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12359)
  2. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)
  3. Diersing (2024:348) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68006)

Sorex cinereus ohionensis

Bole & Moulthrop, 1942

Family

Soricidae

Root name

ohionensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

UMMZ 121247

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

89

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41758888

Authority publication

Scientific Publications of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)
  2. Diersing (2025:11) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69448)

Sorex cinereus meadensis

Jammot, 1972

Family

Soricidae

Root name

meadensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

UMMP V60458

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

456

Authority publication

Mammalia

Sorex cinereus ohioensis

Hooper, 1977

Family

Soricidae

Root name

ohioensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

2

Authority publication

Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan

Sorex cinereus acadicus

Hutterer, 2005

Family

Soricidae

Root name

acadicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

Sorex cinereus lesueurii

Hutterer, 2005

Family

Soricidae

Root name

lesueurii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Hutterer (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/9714)

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