| Macroscelides flavicaudatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Macroscelidea |
| Family: | Macroscelididae |
| Genus: | Macroscelides |
| Species: | M. flavicaudatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Macroscelides flavicaudatus Lundholm, 1955 | |
Macroscelides flavicaudatus (common name: Namib round-eared sengi or Namib round-eared elephant shrew) is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae found in the central Namib desert and southern Namibia. [2]
Macroscelides flavicaudatus was first described by Lundholm as Macroscelides proboscideus flavicaudatus, a subspecies of M. proboscideus . The type specimen had been collected by the Plague Research Laboratory of the South African Institute for Medical Research, "six miles from the mouth of the Omaruru River" in Namibia. It is distinguished by the lighter coloration of its fur. [3] Nine other subspecies of M. proboscideus had previously been described; while Corbet and Hanks [4] dismissed the variation between these as continuous, they retained M. p. flavicaudatus.
Upon genetic and morphological analysis, Dumbacher et al. found that the two subspecies were significantly divergent, and proposed elevating both to the rank of species. [2]
Elephant shrews, also called jumping shrews or sengis, are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa, belonging to the family Macroscelididae, in the order Macroscelidea. Their traditional common English name "elephant shrew" comes from a perceived resemblance between their long noses and the trunk of an elephant, and their superficial similarity with shrews in the order Eulipotyphla. However, phylogenetic analysis revealed that elephant shrews are not classified with true shrews, but are in fact more closely related to elephants than shrews. In 1997, the biologist Jonathan Kingdon proposed that they instead be called "sengis", a term derived from the Bantu languages of Africa, and in 1998, they were classified into the new clade Afrotheria.
The black and rufous elephant shrew, the black and rufous sengi, or the Zanj elephant shrew is one of the 17 species of elephant shrew found only in Africa. It is native to the lowland montane and dense forests of Kenya and Tanzania. Like other members of the genus Rhynchocyon, it is a relatively large species, with adults averaging about 28 cm (11 in) in length and 450-700 g (1.0-1.5 lb) in weight.
The short-snouted elephant shrew or short-snouted sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found over a wide area of Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The Cape elephant shrew, also known as the Cape rock elephant-shrew, or Cape rock sengi, is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is endemic to South Africa, although it is a relatively common animal. Its natural habitat is rocky areas. Elephant shrews are not closely related to other species of shrews and to rodents such as mice. E. edwardii has been observed to be a non-flying mammal pollinator of the pagoda lily. Elephant shrews are floral pollinators due to their largely insectivorous diet. Elephant-shrews are pollinators of Hyobanche atropurpurea. It uses its long slender tongue to feed on the pagoda lily's nectar while getting the lily's pollen on its long nose. E. edwardii is also a pollinator of Protea sulphurea.
The dusky-footed elephant shrew or dusky-footed sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The dusky elephant shrew or dusky sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
The bushveld elephant shrew or bushveld sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and hot deserts.
The eastern rock elephant shrew or eastern rock sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and rocky areas.
The Somali elephant shrew or Somali sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.
The North African elephant shrew or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and is the only extant afrotherian within its range. The species was formerly classified in the genus Elephantulus, but molecular evidence indicates that it is more closely related to Petrodromus than to other members of Elephantulus. It was moved to a new genus, Petrosaltator, in 2016. The split with Petrodromus likely occurred during the Miocene period.
The rufous elephant shrew, rufous sengi or East African long-eared elephant-shrew is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. Found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
The western rock elephant shrew or western rock sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Namibia, South Africa, possibly Angola, and possibly Botswana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and rocky areas.
The round-eared elephant shrew or round-eared sengi, is a species of elephant shrew (sengi) in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and hot deserts. They eat insects, shoots, and roots. Their gestation period is 56 days.
Macroscelides is a genus of small shrew-like animals, the round-eared sengis, found in western Namibia and in South Africa; they are members of the clade Afrotheria.
Rhynchocyon is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. Members of this genus are known colloquially as the checkered elephant shrews or giant sengis. It contains the following five species:
The Karoo rock elephant shrew or Karoo rock sengi is a type of shrew in the genus Elephantulus. Its known habitat is in South Africa.
Macroscelides micus is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is only found in gravel plains in the Etendeka formation of north-west Namibia. Measuring about 7.3 inches (19 cm) long and weighing less than an ounce, the species is the smallest in the elephant shrew family.
Galegeeska is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.
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