Cowan's shrew tenrec

Species of mammal

Cowan's shrew tenrec[1]
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Afrosoricida
Suborder: Tenrecomorpha
Family: Tenrecidae
Genus: Microgale
Species:
M. cowani
Binomial name
Microgale cowani
Thomas, 1882
Cowan's shrew tenrec range

Cowan's shrew tenrec (Microgale cowani) is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae.

Description

Cowan's shrew tenrecs weigh an average just over 10 g (0.35 oz), and have an average length of slightly over 5 in (130 mm). Most specimens are mostly brown, often having a mid-dorsal stripe of a darker color and a lighter belly. The coat of Cowan's shrew tenrecs contains a wide variety of patterns, mostly consisting of various shades of red and brown.[3]

Cowan's shrew tenrecs are mostly solitary animals. When two males are in close quarters, they will often try to squeal at or bite each other. Cowan's shrew tenrecs are carnivores, and will search for small prey on forest floors. Their predators are mostly other vertebrates, such as owls and sometimes even other shrew tenrecs. Their only major defense against these predators is the ability to camouflage.[3]

Habitat and distribution

Cowan's shrew tenrec is endemic to Madagascar. It is found in the most habitats of any other shrew tenrec, with its natural habitats being subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, plantations, and heavily degraded former forest.[3] It lives at elevations from about 800 to 2,500 meters.[2]

References

  1. ^ Bronner, G.N.; Jenkins, P.D. (2005). "Order Afrosoricida". 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. 73. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b Stephenson, P.J.; Soarimalala, V.; Goodman, S. (2016). "Microgale cowani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40586A97190403. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40586A97190403.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Hartshorn, I. "Microgale cowani". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
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Extant Afrosoricida species
Suborder Tenrecomorpha
Potamogalidae
Micropotamogale
  • Nimba otter shrew (M. lamottei)
  • Ruwenzori otter shrew (M. ruwenzorii)
Potamogale
  • Giant otter shrew (P. velox)
Tenrecidae
(Tenrecs)
Geogalinae
Geogale
  • Large-eared tenrec (G. aurita)
Oryzorictinae
Microgale
  • Short-tailed shrew tenrec (M. brevicaudata)
  • Cowan's shrew tenrec (M. cowani)
  • Drouhard's shrew tenrec (M. drouhardi)
  • Dryad shrew tenrec (M. dryas)
  • Pale shrew tenrec (M. fotsifotsy)
  • Gracile shrew tenrec (M. gracilis)
  • Naked-nosed shrew tenrec (M. gymnorhyncha)
  • Jenkins' shrew tenrec (M. jenkinsae)
  • Northern shrew tenrec (M. jobihely)
  • Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (M. longicaudata)
  • Major's long-tailed tenrec (M. majori)
  • Web-footed tenrec (M. mergulus)
  • Montane shrew tenrec (M. monticola)
  • Nasolo's shrew tenrec (M. nasoloi)
  • Pygmy shrew tenrec (M. parvula)
  • Greater long-tailed shrew tenrec (M. principula)
  • Least shrew tenrec (M. pusilla)
  • Shrew-toothed shrew tenrec (M. soricoides)
  • Taiva shrew tenrec (M. taiva)
  • Thomas's shrew tenrec (M. thomasi)
Nesogale
  • Dobson's shrew tenrec (N. dobsoni)
  • Talazac's shrew tenrec (N. talazaci)
Oryzorictes
(Rice tenrecs)
  • Mole-like rice tenrec (O. hova)
  • Four-toed rice tenrec (O. tetradactylus)
Tenrecinae
Echinops
  • Lesser hedgehog tenrec (E. telfairi)
Hemicentetes
  • Highland streaked tenrec (H. nigriceps)
  • Lowland streaked tenrec (H. semispinosus)
Setifer
  • Greater hedgehog tenrec (S. setosus)
Tenrec
  • Tailless tenrec (T. ecaudatus)
Suborder Chrysochloridea (golden moles)
Chrysochlorinae
Carpitalpa
  • Arends's golden mole (C. arendsi)
Chlorotalpa
  • Duthie's golden mole (C. duthieae)
  • Sclater's golden mole (C. sclateri)
Chrysochloris
Subgenus Chrysochloris:
  • Cape golden mole (C. asiatica)
  • Visagie's golden mole (C. visagiei)
Subgenus Kilimatalpa:
  • Stuhlmann's golden mole (C. stuhlmanni)
Chrysospalax
  • Giant golden mole (C. trevelyani)
  • Rough-haired golden mole (C. villosus)
Cryptochloris
  • De Winton's golden mole (C. wintoni)
  • Van Zyl's golden mole (C. zyli)
Eremitalpa
  • Grant's golden mole (E. granti)
Amblysominae
Amblysomus
  • Fynbos golden mole (A. corriae)
  • Hottentot golden mole (A. hottentotus)
  • Marley's golden mole (A. marleyi)
  • Robust golden mole (A. robustus)
  • Highveld golden mole (A. septentrionalis)
Calcochloris
Subgenus Huetia:
  • Congo golden mole (C. leucorhinus)
Subgenus Calcochloris:
  • Yellow golden mole (C. obtusirostris)
Subgenus incertae sedis:
  • Somali golden mole (C. tytonis)
Neamblysomus
  • Gunning's golden mole (N. gunningi)
  • Juliana's golden mole (N. julianae)
Taxon identifiers
Microgale cowani


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