Madagascan pygmy shrew

Madagascan pygmy shrew
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Soricidae
Genus:	Suncus
Species:	S. madagascariensis
Binomial name
Suncus madagascariensis (Coquerel, 1848)
Madagascan pygmy shrew range
Madagascan pygmy shrew range in Madagascar
Synonyms
Suncus etruscus (Savi, 1822)

The Madagascan pygmy shrew (Suncus madagascariensis) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. ^[2] It is the only known Malagasy shrew. ^[1]

Taxonomy

Some taxonomists regard it as conspecific with the widely distributed Etruscan shrew, the smallest known mammal by mass, ^{[1] [2]} and likely to have been introduced to Madagascar from India or Southeast Asia by humans. ^[3] It is found in Madagascar and the Comoros, at altitudes from sea level to 1500 m. ^[1]

Distribution and habitat

It is thought to be more common in the less humid western and southern parts of Madagascar. ^[1] This shrew may also be present on Socotra. ^[2] The species is found primarily in forests.

Diet and behaviour

It is presumed to be solitary, nocturnal and insectivorous, like its relatives. ^[1] The litter size is one or two. ^[1] It is threatened by logging and other forms of deforestation. ^[1]

References

1. Aulagnier, S.; Hutterer, R.; Jenkins, P.; Bukhnikashvili, A.; Kryštufek, B.; Kock, D. (2017). "Suncus etruscus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017 e.T90389138A22288134. IUCN. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T90389138A22288134.en . Retrieved 20 February 2019.
2. Hutterer, R. (2005). "Order Soricomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 259. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
3. Omar, H.; Adamson, E.A.S.; Bhauur, S.; Goodman, S.M.; Soarimalala, V.; Hashim, R.; Ruedi, M. (2011). Phylogenetic relationships of Malayan and Malagasy pygmy shrews of the genus Suncus (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences Archived 12 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine . The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 59(2): 237–243.