Microgale brevicaudata, G. Grandidier, 1899

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Tenrecidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 134-172 : 167-168

13.

Short-tailed Shrew Tenrec

Microgale brevicaudata

French: Microgale a queue courte / German: Kurzschwanz-Kleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana de cola corta

Taxonomy. Microgale brevicaudata G. Grandidier, 1899 ,

“les environs de Mahanara, a 75 kilometres environ au sud de Vohémar, sur la cote nord-est de Madagascar.” Restricted by R. D. E. MacPhee in 1987 to “Maharana River ... 78 km S of Iharana [Vohimarina], and originates within the eastern part of the eastern rain forest; Antsiranana, Antalaha [Madagascar]; 13°58’S, 49°58’E.”

Microgale brevicaudata forms a clade with M. grandidieri . Monotypic.

Distribution. NW, N, Northern Highlands, NE & CW Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 66-88 mm, tail 30-45 mm, ear 10-14 mm, hindfoot 11-13 mm; weight 9-13 g. Tail of the Short-tailed Shrew Tenrec is less than 60% of headbody length. Hindfootis relatively short. Dorsal pelage is moderately short, coarse, and

brown, with buffy brown speckling; venter is pale grayish brown. Tail scale hairs are moderately short, and scales are visible.

Habitat. Humid forests, dry forests, and transitional dry to humid forests at elevations of 20-1150 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Short-tailed Shrew Tenrecs are terrestrial. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Shorttailed Shrew Tenrec is widely distributed and occurs in some protected areas. Its overall population is presumably large but probably decreasing. It tolerates some habitat modification. Major threats are habitat loss due to mining activities, conversion to agricultural land, and use offire for forest clearing.

Bibliography. Everson et al. (2016), Goodman & Jenkins (2000), Goodman et al. (2013), Jenkins (2003), MacPhee (1987), Olson & Goodman (2003), Olson et al. (2009), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011), Stephenson et al. (2016v).

Figures

1. Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi), 2. Greater Hedgehog Tenrec (Setifer setosus), 3. Tailless Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus), 4. Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemacenteles semispinosus), 5. Highland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes nigriceps), 6. Large-eared Tenrec (Geogale aurita), 7. Mole-like Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes hova), 8. Four-toed Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes tetradactylus), 9. Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale dobsoni), 10. Talazac’s Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale talazact), 11. Montane Shrew Tenrec (Macrogale monticola), 12. Dryad Shrew Tenrec (Microgale dryas), 13. Short-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale brevicaudata), 14. Pygmy Shrew Tenrec (Microgale parvula), 15. Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Mucrogale longicaudata), 16. Drouhard’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale drouhardi), 17. Taiva Shrew Tenrec (Microgale taiva), 18. Pale Shrew (Tenrec Mucrogalefotsifotsy), 19. Greater Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale principula), 20. Cowan's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale cowant), 21. Naked-nosed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gymnorhyncha), 22. Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale soricoides), 23. Major's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale major), 24. Gracile Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gracilis), 25. Thomas’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale thomasi), 26. Grandidier’s Shrew Tenrec (Muicrogale grandidieri), 27. Web-footed Tenrec (Microgale mergulus), 28. Least Shrew Tenrec (Muicrogale pusilla), 29. Dark Shrew (Tenrec Microgalejobihely), 30. Nasolo’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale nasoloi), 31. Jenkins’s Shrew (Tenrec Microgalejenkinsae)

Distribution. NW, N, Northern Highlands, NE & CW Madagascar.