Lesser hedgehog tenrec

Species of mammal

Lesser hedgehog 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: Echinops
Martin, 1838
Species:
E. telfairi
Binomial name
Echinops telfairi
Martin, 1838
Lesser hedgehog tenrec range

The lesser hedgehog tenrec (Echinops telfairi) is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only species in the genus Echinops and is named in honour of Charles Telfair.[1] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, shrubland, and shrubland and dry savanna.[2]

Description

The lesser hedgehog tenrec is a small, stout-bodied animal visually similar to a hedgehog, hence the name. Their tails are short, their limbs and muzzles are of moderate length, and their ears are prominent. The entire dorsum is covered with sharp spines. Color is usually yellow buff; individuals range from near white to almost black. Head and body length is 5 to 6.8 inches (13 to 17 cm). Weight is about 7 ounces (0.2 kg).

Lesser hedgehog tenrecs (like all tenrecs) have a cloaca (common urogenital opening), like a bird or a reptile.[3]

Behavior

This tenrec is terrestrial.[2] It spends its daytime hours resting under a log, a pile of branches, leaves, straws or in a hollow tree, although trees are widely scattered in its native habitat. In hot weather, it sleeps with its body extended, but otherwise lies in a curled position to rest. It enters a state of torpor in the winter time.[3]

They mostly feed upon insects but may prey on small vertebrates, and usually forage alone, except for a mother with her young.[3]

Breeding is known to occur in October but may depend on warm weather first arousing the animals from winter torpor and on an available food supply.

The lesser hedgehog tenrec is a host of the Acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Promoniliformis ovocristatus.[4]

Captivity

The lesser hedgehog tenrec has become popular in the exotic pet industry.[citation needed]

References

  • Simon and Schuster's Guide to Mammals
  1. ^ a b 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. 76. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b c Stephenson, P.J.; Soarimalala, V.; Goodman, S. (2016). "Echinops telfairi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40592A97188634. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40592A97188634.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Tenrecs in Madagascar". afrotheria.net. IUCN Afrotheria Specialist Group.
  4. ^ Dollfus, Robert-Ph.; Golvan, Yves-J. (1963). "Sur un singulier Métacanthocéphale parasite d'insectivores (Tenrecinae) de Madagascar et des Comores" (PDF). Annales de Parasitologie Humaine et Comparée. 38 (5): 793–806. doi:10.1051/parasite/1963385793. Retrieved February 9, 2020.

Further reading

  • Suárez R., Villalón A., Künzle H., Mpodozis J. (2009) "Transposition and Intermingling of Gαi2 and Gαo Afferences into Single Vomeronasal Glomeruli in the Madagascan Lesser Tenrec Echinops telfairi". PLoS ONE 4(11): e8005. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008005

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Echinops telfairi.
  • View the Lesser hedgehog tenrec genome in Ensembl.
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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
Echinops telfairi