Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec
| Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec[1] | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Afrosoricida |
| Family: | Tenrecidae |
| Genus: | Microgale |
| Species: | M. longicaudata |
| Binomial name | |
| Microgale longicaudata Thomas, 1882 |
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| Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec range | |
The lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (Microgale longicaudata) is a species of mammal in the Tenrecidae family. It is active at all hours of the day and night, but each individual maintains its own pattern of rest and activity.
Range and Habitat
It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.[2]
Description
As its name implies, occupies the ecological niche filled by shrews in other parts of the world. The coat is short, but dense, and quite lacking in the spines so common in this family. The long tail is prehensile. Its body is 5–15 cm long, with the tail being 7.5–17 cm long.
Diet
Although it climbs well, usually it eats mostly on the forest floor, for grubs, worms, and small insects.
Reproduction
Little is known, but they are believed to produce litters of 2-4 young. They do not appear to hibernate at all.
References
- ^ Bronner, G. N.; Jenkins, P. D. (2005). "Order Afrosoricida". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ a b Afrotheria Specialist Group (Tenrec Section), Jenkins, P. & Goodman, S. (2008). Microgale longicaudata. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
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