Establishing and Maintaining an Etruscan Shrew Colony.

The Etruscan shrew () is one of the smallest mammals on earth and is used in many fields of research, including physiology, behavioral science and neuroscience. However, establishing and maintaining a breeding colony of this species in the laboratory can be challenging, as it requires specific husbandry conditions that greatly differ from those of more common laboratory species such as mice or rats. Over the past 15 y, we have successfully established a long-term thriving colony of 150 to 200 animals originating from 36 founders.

Differentiation Among Species Based on 16S-23S rRNA Internal Transcribed Spacer Analysis.

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of , , , , and and of a related β-hemolytic taxon isolated from laboratory rodents were studied for their feasibility to discriminate among these species. The 6 species analyzed showed species-specific ITS patterns that were shared by the type strains and clinical isolates and that allowed their identification. Nevertheless, differentiating between the ITS band patterns of and is visually challenging.