Microgale soricoides, Jenkins, 1993

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 : 170

22.

Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrec

Microgale soricoides

French: Microgale sorigoide / German: Spitzmaus-Kleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana de dientes de musarana

Taxonomy. Microgale soricoides Jenkins, 1993 ,

“Mantady National Park, ca. 15 km north of Perinet, Madagascar, 18°51’S, 48°27’E, in primary rainforest, between 1100 and 1150 [m] elevation.”

Microgale soricoides is sister to a clade of M. fotsifotsy and M. nasoloi . Monotypic.

Distribution. N, Northern and Central highlands, E & SE Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 66-103 mm, tail 81-112 mm, ear 12-19 mm,

hindfoot 17-19 mm; weight 14-22 g. Tail of the Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrec is nearly equal to head-body length. Pelage is soft in texture, light gray-brown dorsally and graybrown ventrally, with buff wash. Tail is brown above and paler buffy brown below; tail tip is white in some individuals.

Habitat. Humid forests (tolerant of some disturbance) and transitional humid-spiny to dry forests at elevations of 675-2525 m.

Food and Feeding. Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrecs will eat smaller species of Microgale in pitfall traps.

Breeding. Two to three embryos were found in wild-caught Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrecs. Pregnant females were found from the end of October to November, and lactating females were found in November.

Activity patterns. Shrew-toothed 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 Shrewtoothed Shrew Tenrec is widely distributed and occurs in some protected areas. Its overall population is presumably large but probably decreasing. Major threats are deforestation for agricultural use, logging, and habitat fragmentation.

Bibliography. Everson et al. (2016), Goodman & Jenkins (1998, 2000), Goodman, Jenkins & Pidgeon (1999), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Jenkins (1993, 2003), Jenkins et al. (1996), Olson & Goodman (2003), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011), Stephenson et al. (2016ac).

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. N, Northern and Central highlands, E & SE Madagascar.