North African elephant shrew

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North African elephant shrew [1]
Petrosaltator rozeti-Zootaxa.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Macroscelidea
Family: Macroscelididae
Genus: Petrosaltator
Rathbun & Dumbacher, 2016
Species:
P. rozeti
Binomial name
Petrosaltator rozeti
(Duvernoy, 1833)
North African Elephant Shrew area.png
North African elephant shrew range
Synonyms [3]
  • Elephantulus rozeti(Duvernoy, 1833)
  • Macroscelides rozetiDuvernoy, 1833

The North African elephant shrew (Petrosaltator rozeti) or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and (since the extinction of the North African elephant) is the only extant afrotherian within its range. [note 1] 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. [4] The split with Petrodromus likely occurred during the Miocene period. [5]

Contents

Description

The North African elephant-shrew is a little rodent-like in appearance, having a small body, large ears, and a long tail. It weighs around 50 grams (1.8 oz), which is very light compared to other sengis). The total length is from 24 to 38.5 cm (9.4–15.2 in), of which the tail is 13 to 16 cm (5.1–6.3 in). The fur on the upper body varies from yellowish brown to pale sandy-pink, and the fur on the underside is white. It has a long flexible snout, typical of the elephant-shrews, which can be moved in a circular fashion and the nostrils are located towards the tip of the snout, with long sensory whiskers growing at the base of the snout. The rear legs are longer than the forelimbs, an adaptation for running and jumping. North African elephant-shrews use well-developed glands, placed under the tail, for marking territory. [6] The adult specimen has 42 teeth, with a dental formula of 3.1.4.23.1.4.3. [7]

Distribution

It is present in northwestern Africa from the northern Western Sahara to western Libya. [2]

Habitat

Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and deserts. [2]

Habits

The North African sengi typically gives birth to litters of 1 to 4 young twice a year. [8]

Notes

  1. The rock hyrax is present in the Sahara in central Algeria a few hundred km away.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elephant shrew</span> Family of insectivorous mammals

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-snouted elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<i>Elephantulus</i> Genus of mammals

Elephantulus is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It contains the following species:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dusky-footed elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dusky elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushveld elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern rock elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali elephant shrew</span> Small animal of northeast Africa

The Somali elephant shrew or Somali sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western rock elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

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, and possibly Angola and Botswana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and rocky areas.

<i>Macroscelides proboscideus</i> Species of mammal

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, and grassland, and hot deserts. They eat insects, shoots, and roots. Their gestation period is 56 days.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four-toed elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

The four-toed elephant shrew or four-toed sengi is the only living species in the genus Petrodromus, which together with five other extant genera Rhynchocyon, Macroscelides, Petrosaltator, Galegeeska and Elephantulus constitutes the order Macroscelidea. This species is only found in particular regions in Africa and is smaller than its relatives. A comprehensive record of this species is lacking.

<i>Rhynchocyon</i> Genus of mammals

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:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-faced sengi</span> Species of elephant shrew

The grey-faced sengi is a species of elephant shrew that is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains of south-central Tanzania. The discovery of the species was announced in January 2008; only 15 species of elephant shrew were known until then, and the last discovery was made more than 120 years ago. As the name implies, the species is characterised by a distinctive grey face and a black rump, as well as being larger than the other species of elephant shrews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karoo rock elephant shrew</span> Species of mammal

The Karoo rock elephant shrew or Karoo rock sengi is an elephant shrew in the genus Elephantulus. It is found in Northern Cape Province and Western Cape Province in South Africa.

<i>Macroscelides flavicaudatus</i> Species of mammal

Macroscelides flavicaudatus is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae found in the central Namib desert and southern Namibia.

<i>Galegeeska</i> Genus of elephant shrew

Galegeeska is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.

References

  1. Schlitter, D.A. (2005). "Order Macroscelidea". 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. 83. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  2. 1 2 3 Rathbun, G.B. (2015). "Elephantulus rozeti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T42663A21289287. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  3. Corbet, G.B.; Hanks, J. (1968). "A revision of the elephant-shrews, family Macroscelididae". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology. 16: 45–111.
  4. Dumbacher, J. P.; Carlen, E. J. & Rathbun, G. B. (2016). "Petrosaltator gen. nov., a new genus replacement for the North African sengi Elephantulus rozeti (Macroscelidea; Macroscelididae)". Zootaxa. 4136 (3): 567–579. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4136.3.8 . PMID   27395734.
  5. Douady, C.J.; Catzeflis, F.; Raman, J.; Springer, M.S.; Stanhope, M.J. (2003). "The Sahara as a vicariant agent, and the role of Miocene climatic events, in the diversification of the mammalian order Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100 (14): 8325–8330. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0832467100 . PMC   166228 . PMID   12821774.
  6. "Elephantulus rozeti". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  7. De Lange, D. (1949). "Communication on the attachment and the early development of Macroscelides (=Elephantulus) rozeti Duv., the North-African Jumping Shrew". Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde. 28 (1): 255–285. doi: 10.1163/26660644-02801033 .
  8. Séguignes, M. (1989-01-01). "Contribution à l'étude de la reproduction d'Elephantulus rozeti (Insectivora, Macroscelididae)". Mammalia. 53 (3). doi:10.1515/mamm.1989.53.3.377. S2CID   84872848.