Elephantulus fuscipes (Thomas, 1894)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Macroscelididae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 206-234 : 231-232

13.

Dusky-footed Sengi

Elephantulus fuscipes

French: Sengi a pattes sombres / German: Dunkelful 3-Elefantenspitzmaus / Spanish: Sengi de pies oscuros

Other common names: Dusky-footed Elephant-shrew, Uganda Elephant-shrew, Uganda Sengi

Taxonomy. Macroscelides fuscipes Thomas, 1894 ,

“ N’doruma , Niam-Niam country (= Doruma) , north-eastern DR Congo.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. S South Sudan, NE DR Congo, and Uganda.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 126 148 mm, tail 86-100 mm, hindfoot c.27-28 mm; weight 52-77 g. Tail of the Dusky-footed Sengi is ¢.70% of headbody length, which is the shortest of any

species of sengi; tail hair is black above and paler below and does not form a tuft. Pinnae are relatively large, upright, and rounded at tips. Supratragus is swollen (more so than in the Dusky Sengi, E. fuscus ) and twisted backward on a constricted

stalk. Snout is long, thin, and flexible. Dorsum is dark gray to black, with brown hair tips. Some dorsal hairs are slightly longer with black tips. Lateral pelage is slightly paler. Ventral hairs are gray at bases and white toward tips. White eye-ring is present (but subtle), without intruding post-ocular patch. There is no buff patch behind ears. Females have two anterior, two intermediate, and two posterior nipples; males have no nipples. Five digits are present on each manus and pes. Pectoral and subcaudal glands are present, but each is only slightly developed. Dental formula is 13/3,C1/1,P 4/4, M 2/3 (x2) = 42. Third lower molar is present in only three extant species: the Shortsnouted Sengi (FE. brachyrhynchus ), the Dusky Sengi, and the Dusky-footed Sengi ( E. fuscipes )—the basis for their previous assignment to the now defunct genus Nasilio. Canine sizes are subequal to adjacent teeth. Diastema is present between upper third incisor and canine that is larger than alveolar length of canine. Several bilateral pairs of palatal foramina are present. Postorbital processes are absent. Karyotype is unknown.

Habitat. Woodland savanna.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but diets of the Dusky-footed Sengi are probably similar to other species of Elephantulus .

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Populations trend of the Dusky-footed Sengi is unknown. All published sightings and collected voucher specimens predate 1968. About ten localities of occurrence have been recorded in South Sudan, DR Congo, and Uganda in ¢.127,000 km?. Although this area is large, distribution overlaps areas impacted by oil development, war, and desertification; thus, no reliable assessment can be made without new data.

Bibliography. Allen (1922), Corbet & Hanks (1968), Evans (1942), Olbricht & Stanley (2009), Perrin (2013b), Rathbun (2009, 2015h).

Figures

1. Golden-rumped Seng (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus), 2. Chequered Sengi (Rhynchocyon cirne), 3. White-tailed Sengi (Rhynchocyon stuhlmanni), 4. Black-and-rufous Sengi (Rhynchocyon petersi), 5. Gray-faced Sengi (Rhynchocyon udzungwensis), 6. Namib Round-eared Sengi (Macroscelides flavicaudatus), 7. Karoo Round-eared Sengi (Macroscelides proboscideus), 8. Etendeka Round-eared Sengi (Macroscelides micus), 9. Four-toed Sengi (Petrodromus tetradactylus), 10. North African Sengi (Petrosaltator rozeti), 11. Rufous Sengi (Elephantulus rufescens), 12. Somali Sengi (Elephantulus revoulii), 13. Dusky-footed Sengi (Elephantulus fuscipes), 14. Short-snouted Sengi (Elephantulus brachyrhynchus), 15. Dusky Sengi (Elephantulus fuscus), 16. Bushveld Sengi (Elephantulus intufi), 17. Western Rock Sengi (Elephantulus rupestris), 18. Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephantulus mywrus), 19. Cape Rock Sengi (Elephantulus edwardii), 20. Karoo Rock Sengi (Elephantulus pilicaudus)

Distribution. S South Sudan, NE DR Congo, and Uganda.