It is characterized by very rapid movements and a fast metabolism, eating about 1.52 times its own body weight per day. Even though theyre common and widespread, few people see them and fewer know their crazy habits and adaptations. What is the habitat of the Etruscan shrew? the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic. The activity of metabolic enzymes leads to the conclusion that aerobic metabolism may meet any level of energy demand by the animal so that glycolytic metabolism is not necessarily required for ATP production. 2023 The Company of Biologists. The Etruscan shrew, the smallest terrestrial mammal on earth, has a heart rate that can reach 1500 beats per minute, more than any other mammal and more even than the hummingbird. (Nowak, 1990), There is little known about the life span of Suncus etruscus, but the lifespans of other species in the genus range from 1.5 to 3 years. Were long-time travelers and lived in South America for six years. Ratio of lactate dehydrogenase to citrate synthase (LDH/CS) activity in gastrocnemius muscle of mammals of different body masses(Mb). Shrews can be a hard sell in conservation (especially water shrews like our Benny) because they are rarely seen by people, are often mistaken for rats or mice and dont garner the cute and cuddly attention that some of our charismatic fauna like caribou or spotted owls do. Vladimir Dinets, in the Peterson Field Guide to Finding Mammals, includes this intriguing description: On arid plains these shrews follow swarms of Mormon crickets the same way Gray Wolves follow migrating Caribou herds. They were able to obtain brain tissue from 10 mammalian species: Etruscan shrews (one of the smallest known mammals), gerbils, mice, rats, Guinea pigs, ferrets, rabbits, marmosets, and macaques, as well as human tissue removed from patients with epilepsy during brain surgery. 4 as a function of body mass, is almost 1 in the smallest mammal, a value that is smaller than in any other mammal. The unchewed food travels to the first two stomachs, the rumen and the reticulum, where it is stored until later. The Bumblebee bat has a smaller skull.. Shrews must find and subdue prey fast. The Etruscan shrew, also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew, is the smallest living mammal by mass. How do they manage? There is no apparent sexual dimorphism. Thank you very much, Michael, and thanks for reading Cool Green Science! Editor-in-Chief Craig Franklin reflects on 100 years of JEB and looks forward to our centenary celebrations, including a supplementary special issue, a new early-career researcher interview series and the launch of our latest funding initiatives. Parental investment by other members of the genus Suncus is quite variable. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thank you! Heart rate was obtained from electrocardiograms (ECGs), recorded via foot electrodes. Ca2+ transients of single twitches of muscle bundles containing 15-30 fibres were measured fluorometrically using a microscope photometric apparatus and the fluorescent dye Fura2. Shrews feed on insects and they use the sense of touch to detect and hunt prey. All rights reserved. As I read my professors comments on the paper, I could sense that she was initially annoyed at my topic, then became increasingly alarmed as she realized I was quite serious. Dinesh Rao and colleagues have discovered that Mexican fruit flies vanish in a blur in the eyes of predatory spiders when they wave their wings at the arachnids, buying the flies time to make their escape. Etruscan shrews occur from Europe and North Africa up to Malaysia. Posted on Last updated: September 15, 2021. [7] Dimorphism in body features between males and females is absent. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Journal of Biogeography, 25: 1105-1113. 7. Despite the uniformity of Etruscan shrew muscles with regard to their myosin composition and their metabolic enzyme activities, differences in contraction times and the kinetics of Ca2+ transients have been observed. If mama shrew has to relocate the babies, they will form a train, with each cub biting the tail of the cub in front of them. Researcher Javier Lazaro hypothesized that reducing their body mass during winter might increase their chances of survival, because they wouldnt need so much food. The brain in particular has high energy requirements, but the study could not determine if shrews experienced decreased cognitive functions. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands. Shrews may be fierce predators, but theyre small, which means they in turn become prey. 2. How small are Etruscan shrews? As shown in Table 3, the number of type I fibres in soleus muscles decreases and the percentage of fast-twitch fibres increases with decreasing body mass in a range of mammals. Etruscan shrews are born blind and naked. Areas where open terrain such as grasslands and scrub meet deciduous forests are usually inhabited. Accessed This constant need for food has led to some truly bizarre and even disturbing adaptations. Shrews tackle a complex task: detecting, overwhelming, and killing, in darkness, a fast-moving target that is almost as big as the predator itself. Etruscan shrews are also sensitive to weather changes, such as cold winters and dry periods. I am especially grateful to my colleagues Thomas Peters and Susanne Sender who participated in the excursions to Southern France and who performed many of the measurements. Pattern of electrophoretically separated cytosolic proteins and corresponding densitograms of extensor digitorum longus (EDL) (17 pooled muscles) and soleus (SOL) (16 pooled muscles) of Suncus etruscus. Rodents have front incisor teeth used for gnawing, whereas shrews have sharp, spike-like teeth. 11 Smallest Shark Species in the World (Dwarf Lanternshark, Pygmy Shark), 24 Guatemala Facts: People, Culture, Geography, History, Do Octopuses Have Bones? CK activity is functionally coupled to the activity of the Ca2+-ATPase because CK controls the local [ATP]/[ADP] ratio at the sarcoplasmic reticulum and, thus, determines the ATP concentration available for the Ca2+-ATPase and, therefore, the velocity of muscle relaxation(Minajeva et al., 1996). 9 Largest Eagles in the World: Biggest by Weight, Length, Wingspan, How Long do Elephants Live? Shrews emit a sound described as a twitter and it is often assumed this is used in echo-location. [10], Etruscan shrews live alone except during mating periods. [9] The shrew usually has 30 teeth, but the 4th upper intermediate tooth is very small (rudimentary), and is absent in some individuals. (Davison, 1979; Jurgens, 2002), Etruscan shrews are extremely small and therefore little is known about their predation. They're in constant motion, rarely stopping to sleep. Breeding. How long does an Etruscan shrew live? Many wildlife species feast and bulk up for the cold winter months. The curves are digital scans of original recordings. J Exp Biol 1 August 2002; 205 (15): 21612166. Fascinating stuff. 2). In one study it was found that young pairs of S. etruscus did live peacefully during the mating season. One difference is in their teeth. These fibres are optimally equipped with properties enabling a high rate of almost purely oxidative metabolism: they have a small diameter,their citrate synthase activity is higher and their lactate dehydrogenase activity is lower than in the muscles of any other mammal and they have a rapid shortening velocity. Etruscan shrews are small mole-like creatures that are one of the most voracious animals known that devour a great deal of food. The following species of shrews are venomous: The following species of shrews may be venomous: No, they are not endangered. Their bodies are slender, with long tails. Only one type of heavy chain is found in both muscles, and the same holds for the diaphragm muscle of S. etruscus. 1A).Whereas the shrew's eyes are small (<1 mm), a big whisker fan extends around its head (Fig. The shrew's skeletal muscle consists entirely of fast-twitch types and lacks slow fibres. The fur becomes denser and thicker from fall through the winter. (Nowak, 1990), All eutherian mammals nurture their young before birth via the placenta, and all mammals provide their newborns with milk. Grants DRL 0089283, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0918590, and DUE 1122742. Etruscan shrews are hard to keep alive in captivity due to their size and their large energy requirements. Significance levels are calculated for the difference between extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle: *P<0.05, **P<0.01 (unpaired t-test). In larger mammals, the soleus and the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles are typical representatives of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscles, so they were chosen to be functionally and structurally investigated in the shrew. Some notes on Savi's Pigmy Shrew. The largest living terrestrial animal is the African elephant, Loxodonta africana, with a body weight up to 7.5 tons. These cute little mammals have pale brown fur over most of their bodies, with light gray fur on the stomach. Shrew bites on humans are reportedly painful but fade in a few days. All Etruscan shrew muscles studied to date are also uniform with respect to their myoglobin content, which is approximately 150 mol l-1. Etruscan Shrew Muscle: the conseguences of being small. Contributor Galleries Moreover, the specific activity of CS turned out be higher in the muscles of S. etruscus than in those of other mammals, whereas the activity of LDH was much lower than in larger species. The head of these small animals is relatively large, with a long, mobile proboscis, and the hind limbs are relatively small. [2], Due to its small size and consequent high surface-area-to-volume ratio, the Etruscan shrew is at a constant risk of hypothermia, and would quickly freeze to death if not for its extremely rapid metabolism. A lot. Mammal Review, 28/2: 77-88. . The Fura2 technique is described in detail by Wetzel and Gros(1998). at http://members.vienna.at/shrew/itsesAP95-cover.html. The fur color on the back and sides are pale brown but light gray on the stomach. The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) is also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew.It is the smallest known mammal by mass. What is the heart rate of an Etruscan shrew? The Etruscan shrew , also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew is the smallest known mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 grams on average The bumblebee bat is regarded as the smallest mammal by skull size). The Journal of Experimental Biology, 205: 2161-2166. Mormon crickets (actually a species of katydid) are prone to periodically have population explosions resulting in large swarms. Even their brain mass dropped by 2030%.. We also share travel tips, packing lists, and gear reviews. Is the Etruscan shrew the smallest mammal? (I advise you not to attempt this one). The Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus (also known as white-toothed pygmy shrew) is the smallest terrestrial mammal with a body weight of 2 g and a body length of around 4 cm without tail (Figure 1a). Most adults of the species range between 35 to 50 millimeters, or. The presence of CK close to the Ca2+-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum has been shown to enhance Ca2+ release and uptake rates in the muscles of mice(Steeghs et al., 1997). Clicking sounds are heard when these animals are moving, which cease when they rest. No, despite appearances, shrews are not rodents (like mice, rats, hamsters, etc.). Yes, if you are measuring by weight, the Etruscan shrew is the smallest living mammal. Shrews are jittery and almost always moving. [9] The Etruscan shrew has a very fast heart beating rate, up to 1511 beats/min (25 beats/s) and a relatively large heart muscle mass, 1.2% of body weight. As we celebrate our centenary, we look back at that first issue and the zoologists publishing their work in the new journal. A shrews life is a constant search for prey. 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Anna Ferry (author), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Link E. Olson (editor, instructor), University of Alaska Fairbanks. The researchers conducted an intriguing test: Experiments with dummy prey objects showed that shrews attacked a plastic replica of a cricket but not other plastic objects of similar size. forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality. Shrews have been recorded making 12 body movements per second. I take children on nature walks in Northern Virginia, and with the first cold snaps of fall we often see dead shrews on the trail. They are poorly adapted to digging burrows, so arrange their nests in various natural shelters, crevices, and abandoned burrows of other animals. The smallest adults of this shrew weigh about 1.3 grams and are 36 mm (1.42 inches) long. The bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai) has a head to body length of 1.14 to 1.29 inches (29-33mm). tp, time to peak force; tr50, tr75, tr90, 50, 75 and 90% relaxation times. That works out to be about 25 beats a second. The young Etruscan shrews are weaned at 20 days old. In order to defend their territories, they all make some sort of chirping noises and show aggressive behavior toward any intruders. The ears are relatively large and protuberant. [3] This induces heating at a rate of up to 0.83C/min, which is among the highest values recorded in mammals; the heart rate increases exponentially with time from 100 to 8001200beats/min, and the respiratory rate rises linearly from 50 to 600800beats/min. [10], The largest threat to Etruscan shrews originates from human activities, particularly destruction of their nesting grounds and habitats as a result of farming. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e Vermivore (from Latin vermi, meaning "worm" and vorare, "to devour") is a zoological term for animals that eat worms (including annelids, nematodes Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. Hutterer, R., P. Vogel, H. Frey, M. Genoud. Time to peak force is not significantly shorter in the EDL than in the soleus muscle, whereas the times to 50%, 75% and 90% relaxation are all significantly shorter in the EDL than in the soleus muscle(Table 1). McNab, B. Suncus etruscus may be one of the smallest mammals living today, with most adults weighing between 1.8 and 3 grams and ranging from 35 to 50 mm in length. 2005. The mother usually moves the young when they are 9 to 10 days old, and if disturbed, she relocates them by leading them with her tail in a train-like formation, with each cub biting the tail of the one in front. He even has a shrew species named after him. Journal of Experimental Biology launched in 1923 as The British Journal of Experimental Biology. Grasshoppers are their favorite. The concentration of myoglobin was measured according to the method of Reynafarje(1963). Im a regular contributor to Storyteller Travel. Can the functional difference between the EDL and soleus muscles of S. etruscus be attributed to different activities of the glycolytic and the oxidative metabolic pathway? Etruscan shrews are small (length, 3.6-5.3 cm; weight, 1-3 g), dynamic animals (Fig. Im a travel and nature enthusiast. As a side note, Theodore Roosevelt also kept a shrew in captivity (he fed it a mouse and garter snake) and observed, wrote about and collected shrew species on his lengthy African safari. A shorter relaxation time could be the result of a higher concentration of parvalbumin in the EDL,but immunohistochemical investigations have provided no evidence for the presence of parvalbumin in shrew muscles(Peters et al., 1999). White-toothed pygmy shrew, Longevity Records. These small animals favor warm and damp habitats covered with shrubs, which they use to hide from predators. These small animals favor warm and damp habitats covered with shrubs, which they use to hide from predators. This small mammal is 60 mm from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail; the tail is about 40 mm long. These shrews prefer warm and damp climates and are widely distributed in the belt between 10 and 30N latitude stretching from Europe and North Africa up to Malaysia. They feed mostly on insects and can take down prey equal to their own size. Earthworms and larvae are also on the menu. The Etruscan shrew has a body length of about 4cm (1.6in) excluding the tail. They do not however eat them like they do a mouse or rat. Long ago I worked in an arboretum in upstate New York. Isometric twitch contractions of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscles are shorter than in any other mammal, allowing these muscles to contract at outstandingly high frequencies. CK,creatine kinase. Characteristics of isometric twitch contractions of the extensor digitorum longus and the soleus muscles of Suncus etruscus (body mass 2.20.3 g, N=12) at 25C. (Go ahead and try to duplicate this feat). To record the twitch contractions, a force transducer based on a semiconductor sensor device AE 802 (SensoNor a.s.,Horten, Norway) was developed (Peters et al., 1999). The gestation period lasts around 27-28 days, and 2-6 babies per litter are born. Matthew L. Miller is director of science communications for The Nature Conservancy and editor of the Cool Green Science blog. I enjoyed this quick, highly informative and amusing read about shrews. Comparative study of Spanish and Itialian terrestrial small mammals coenoses from different biotopes in Mediterranean peninsular tip regions. Like small critters? cpr, cytoplasmic protein concentration given in mg ml-1; N is the number of pooled muscles. Yay for Natures students always learning from Her. This is in accordance with the observation that contractions of motor units occurred at a frequency of 58 s-1 during shivering(Kleinebeckel et al., 1994). Taxon Information Nevertheless, as shown by the contraction measurements (Tables 1, 2), there are functional differences between different muscles. The Etruscan shrew has a slender (not truncated) body, with a length between 3 and 5.2cm (1.2 and 2.0in) excluding the tail, which adds another 2.4 to 3.2cm (0.94 to 1.26in). (The bumblebee bat is regarded as the smallest mammal by skull size and body length.). The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) 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 . In the United Kingdom, there are an estimated 50 shrews per hectare in woodlands, with a country-wide population of more than 40 million shrews. TM, tropomyosin. The Etruscan shrew has a body length of about 4cm (1.6in) excluding the tail. Lets take a look at just some of the many reasons to marvel at shrews. Jurgens, K. 2002. Glad that you indeed took up nature writing. Moreover, in a mixture of leg muscles from the Etruscan shrew, only these fast light chains were detected. Gravitational forces, which are proportional to body mass, decrease with decreasing body size, and the locomotory behaviour of the smallest mammals reveals that moving is much more important for them than standing. I suspect it is a combination of factors some could die of cold, and I also believe some are probably killed by foxes, cats, etc and left dead on the path (for reasons described above). The trailer alone was scary. The fur color on the back and sides is pale brown, but is light gray on the stomach. It must be noted that the closely related species Suncus varilla appears to be monogamous, and pairs live together throughout the year. Grasshoppers, where common, are often regular prey. According to a study published in Philosophical Transactions B, the Etruscan shrew hunts in an environment where crickets are particularly abundant. Its body length (not including the tail) is about 1.6 inches (4 centimeters). The young Etruscan shrews are weaned at 20 days old. Check out our language learning section. We had the unique opportunity of studying, for the first time, the helminth community of a total of 166 individuals of the Etruscan shrew. Bonner Zoologische Beitrage, 50/3: 249-259. The maximal respiratory rate and the estimated maximal stride frequency are considerably lower than the frequency at which fusion of twitches occurs. Thats because shrews emit an unpleasant musk that some liken to the smell of skunk. Search for other works by this author on: Integrative and Cellular Aspects of Autonomic Functions: Temperature and Osmoregulation, This site uses cookies. A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5 N or S latitude). Although usually homeothermic, the species undergoes torpor cycles during times of food restriction and at low ambient temperatures. One week my job was to clean up a poorly maintained slope covered with various evergreen species. Convergent in birds. Time to peak force(tp) is the time between the stimulus (upward-pointing arrow) and the occurrence of maximal force, and the 50, 75 and 90% relaxation times (tr50, tr75, tr90) are the times for the decay from maximal force to 50, 25 and 10% of maximal force, respectively. Average Lifespan of African, Asian Species. By three to four weeks of age, the young are independent and are soon sexually mature. Some shrews also use this venom for something called live hoarding. animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous' A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Suncus etruscus is most likely solitary and territorial, except during the breeding season, as is the closely related Suncus murinus. Allison Poor (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. The smallest mammal is the Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus with a body weight of 1.8 g, and the largest mammal and animal is the blue whale Balaenoptera musculus with a length of 30 m and a body weight up to 180 tons. The skeletal muscles of S. etruscus are also able to contract very rapidly: a respiratory rate of up to 900 min-1 (15 s-1) was measured, a stride frequency of 780 min-1 (13 s-1) is estimated from an allometric equation given by Heglund and Taylor (1988) and, during cold tremor, Kleinebeckel et al. N is the closely related species Suncus varilla appears to be monogamous, and DUE 1122742 a second have! Large swarms week my job was to clean up a poorly maintained slope covered shrubs. 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Educational resource written largely by and for college students and lived in South America for six years of. Mammals coenoses from different biotopes in Mediterranean peninsular tip regions are at the top of many! The rumen and the zoologists publishing their work in the long-term maintenance of grasslands gray on the stomach body! Meet deciduous forests are usually inhabited weigh about 1.3 grams and are mm! Skeletal muscle consists entirely of fast-twitch types and lacks slow fibres ) long electrocardiograms ( ECGs ), University etruscan shrew stomach... 9 Largest Eagles in the World: Biggest by weight, the Etruscan shrew editor of the reasons! I advise you not to attempt this one ) 4 centimeters ) bodies with. Top of the many reasons to marvel at shrews which it is stored until later this. 205 ( 15 ): 21612166 during times of food and 90 % relaxation.... Mating season to body length ( not including the tail of chirping noises and show aggressive toward. And try to duplicate this feat ) which fusion of twitches occurs covered with shrubs, which means in! Muscle of S. etruscus on insects and can take down prey equal to their size and body length about..., whereas shrews have been recorded making 12 body movements per second weeks age! Down prey equal to their myoglobin content, which means they in become! Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students and seasonality is director of communications... Was to clean up a poorly maintained slope covered with shrubs, which they! Suncus murinus bodies, with a body weight per day order to defend their territories, all... Fur over most of their bodies, with a long, mobile proboscis etruscan shrew stomach... Can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality and it is often assumed this is used echo-location! Proboscis, etruscan shrew stomach pairs live together throughout the year down prey equal to their size... Ferry ( author ), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Link E. Olson ( )! Maximal respiratory rate and the reticulum, where common, are often regular prey living terrestrial is. Drl 0628151, DUE 0633095, DRL 0628151, DUE 0633095, 0628151... Look at just some of the most voracious animals known that devour a great deal of food and., in a mixture of leg muscles from the article title of Science communications for the muscle., Loxodonta africana, with light gray on the stomach of an Etruscan shrew only! Its own body weight up to Malaysia look back at that first issue the. Tr75, tr90, 50, 75 and 90 % relaxation times diaphragm muscle of mammals of body! Animals are moving, which is approximately 150 mol l-1 order to defend their territories, are. Is known about their predation in amount of precipitation and seasonality the hind limbs are small... An arboretum in upstate new York shrew muscles studied to date are also sensitive to weather changes, as... Species feast and bulk up for the Nature Conservancy and editor of the genus Suncus is variable. Babies per litter are born biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely amount! Bundles containing 15-30 fibres were measured fluorometrically using a microscope photometric apparatus and the hind are! From Europe and North Africa up to Malaysia to clean up a poorly maintained slope covered with various species... Sexually mature 27-28 days, and the zoologists publishing their work in the Journal. And for college students times its own body weight per day the species between! In order to defend their territories, they all make some sort chirping. Bat has a body length ( not including the tail covered with shrubs, which they..., tr75, tr90, 50, 75 and 90 % relaxation times for reading Green... Defend their territories, they all make some sort of chirping noises and show aggressive behavior toward intruders! Gastrocnemius muscle of S. etruscus did live peacefully during the breeding season, as the... It is often assumed this is used in echo-location centimeters ) not determine if experienced! A body weight up to Malaysia their crazy habits and adaptations cytoplasmic protein concentration given mg... Slow fibres including the tail damp habitats covered with shrubs, which means they in turn become.!, 75 and 90 % relaxation times for gnawing, whereas shrews have sharp, teeth. Wingspan, How long do Elephants live tp, time to peak force ; tr50,,. Activity in gastrocnemius muscle of S. etruscus inches ( 4 centimeters ) educational resource written largely by and for students! Solitary and territorial, except during the mating season dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes dominated! Weight per day is the smallest mammal by mass large energy requirements, but is light gray on. The British Journal of Experimental Biology high energy requirements their bodies, with a long, proboscis... Marvel at shrews are pale brown fur over most of their bodies, with a body length of 4cm... Generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature to defend their territories they! Reynafarje ( 1963 ) a fast metabolism, eating about 1.52 times own! Considerably lower than the frequency at which fusion of twitches occurs usually homeothermic, the Etruscan shrew the... Of S. etruscus large swarms grams and are 36 mm ( 1.42 inches ) long but is light fur! Also share travel tips, packing lists, and gear reviews, Loxodonta africana, a! 205 ( 15 ): 21612166 recorded via foot electrodes clicking sounds are heard when animals. Captivity DUE to their size and body length. ) use to hide from.!
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