Macrogale monticola, Goodman & Jenkins, 1998

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

11.

Montane Shrew Tenrec

Macrogale monticola

French: Microgale des montagnes / German: Gebirgs-Kleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana de montana

Other common names: Mountain Shrew Tenrec

Taxonomy. Microgale monticola Goodman & Jenkins, 1998 ,

“11 km WSW of Befingi- tra, Réserve Spéciale d’Anjanaharibe-Sud, 14°44’S, 49°26’E, 1550 m,” Madagascar. Microgale monticola forms a clade with M. tava. Monotypic.

Distribution. Marojejy and Anjanharibe-Sud (Northern Highlands), and Makira Sud, N Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 72-90 mm, tail 98-117 mm, ear 12-16 mm, hindfoot 19-21 mm; weight 12-18 g. Tail of the Montane Shrew Tenrec is 120% of head—body length. Dorsal pelage is dark brown and slightly grizzled; venter is dark brown. Tail is dark brown above and paler below, with scales clearly visible beneath short scale hairs.

Habitat. Humid forests at elevations of 1500-1950 m. The Montane Shrew Tenrec has been documented at lower elevations (500-720 m) in Makira Sud.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Number of embryos was 1-2 in wild-caught Montane Shrew Tenrecs. One of these individuals was pregnant and lactating—the first observation of this occurring in Microgale .

Activity patterns. Montane Shrew Tenrecs are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Montane Shrew Tenrec is known from only four locations on two massifs in northern Madagascar. Populations are assumed to be stable. Major threats are loss of habitat from illegal logging (even in Marojejy National Park and Anjanharibe-Sud Reserve), unsustainable fuelwood harvesting, and gemstone mining.

Bibliography. Everson et al. (2016), Goodman & Jenkins (1998, 2000), Goodman et al. (2013), Jenkins (2003), Olson & Goodman (2003), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011), Stephenson et al. (2016s).

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. Marojejy and Anjanharibe-Sud (Northern Highlands), and Makira Sud, N Madagascar.