Myosorex varius是南非的一种多面性鼩鼱，被发现在其分布范围内由多个遗传分支组成。北部分支栖息在南非东部较为气候温和、夏季多雨的草原和稀树草原地区。南方支派占据南部的凡波斯地区，又可进一步分为占据冬季降雨区的西部支派和占据非季节性降雨区的东部支派。非洲Myosorex属的非南非成员主要局限于东非裂谷系统沿线的孤立山地栖息地。在这里，我们使用古气候生态位模型来研究上新世和更新世气候变化对M. varius、其分支和整个属分布的影响。结果表明，冰期期间范围扩张的重复循环和间冰期期间的破碎是M. varius目前的系统发育地理学模式的原因。基于它们与降雨区的紧密排列以及尽管有接触区域却缺乏遗传混合，这些（子）进化枝很可能在当地适应了各自的区域。早期的气候波动使得该属从东非沿着东非裂谷系统向南“跳岛”，在寒冷时期扩大范围，在温暖时期撤退到山地避难所。目前被Myosorex物种占据的地区很大程度上与预测的山地避难所相符，这使得它们能够在之前的温暖时期生存下来。
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Palaeoclimatic niche modelling reveals the phylogeographic history of the South African shrew Myosorex varius and the colonisation route of the genus Myosorex (Mammalia, Soricidae) from East Africa
Myosorex varius is a South African generalist shrew, which has been found to consist of several genetic clades across its range. A northern clade inhabits the more mesic, summer-rainfall areas of grassland and savannah in the east of South Africa. A southern clade occupies areas of fynbos in the south, and can be further divided into a western subclade occupying winter-rainfall areas and an eastern subclade occupying areas with aseasonal rainfall. Non-South-African members of the African genus Myosorex primarily are limited to isolated montane habitats along the East African Rift System. Here, we used palaeoclimatic niche modelling to examine the effects of Pliocene and Pleistocene climate change on the distributions of M. varius, its clades and the genus as a whole. Results indicate that repeated cycles of range expansion during glacial periods and fragmentation during interglacials are responsible for current phylogeographic patterns within M. varius. Based on their close alignment with rainfall zones and lack of genetic mixing despite areas of contact, it is likely that these (sub)clades are locally adapted to their respective areas. Earlier climatic fluctuations allowed the genus to ‘island hop’ south from East Africa along the East African Rift System, expanding in range during cooler periods and retreating to montane refugia during warmer periods. Areas currently occupied by Myosorex species largely correspond with predicted montane refugia that have allowed them to survive previous warm periods.