Available information on the distribution of the European species of the Sorex arañéis group in the Iberian Peninsula suggests that the Iberian System (north-central Spain might be a sympatric area between S. coronatus Millet, 1828 and S. granarius Miller, 1910. With the aim to assess this hypothesis, multivariate analyses based on 16 skull and mandible parameters were carried out on 78 shrews from the Iberian System. A preliminary specific determination was performed on 57 specimens using a discriminant function established in a previous study. Two further discriminant functions based on skull and mandible variables respectively were constructed from the sample analysed and both provided an identical classification of the specimens, although slight.y different from that of the preliminary determination. In order to summarize the n.orphometric interspecific relationships a principal components analysis was performed. Results obtained confirm the presence of S. coronatus and strongly suggest that of S. granarius and of a contact zone between both species in the Iberian System. In this area both species share the same general habitats, occupying oro- and supramedi- terrarean bioclimatic levels. Taking into account the distributional pattern reported for S. araneus and S. coronatus in sympatric areas, and considering the convergence in size observed between S. granarius and S. coronatus in the Iberian System, we suggest that in this contact zone both species might have a parapatric distribution, due most probably to microhabitat segregation.
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