Microgale parvula, G. Grandidier, 1934

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Tenrecidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 134-172 : 168

14.

Pygmy Shrew Tenrec

Microgale parvula

French: Microgale pygmée / German: Zwergkleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana pigmea

Taxonomy. Microgaleparvula G. Grandidier, 1934 ,

“environs de Diego-Suarez, extréme- nord de Madagascar.” Restricted by R. D. E. MacPhee in 1987 to “Antsiranana, Ant- siranana [Province, Madagascar]; 12°16’S, 49°1%°L.”

Recent molecular concordance analysis of multiple gene loci showed that M. parvula forms a clade with M. mergulus . Monotypic.

Distribution. N, Northern and Central highlands, E & SE Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 45-65 mm, tail 47-66 mm, ear 7-10 mm, hindfoot 9-11 mm; weight 2-5 g. The Pygmy Shrew Tenrec is very small, and tail is nearly equal to head-body length. Dorsum is dark brown; venter is dark gray-brown; and tail and feet are uniform dark gray-brown. Tail scales are visible beneath moderately dense scale hairs.

Habitat. Humid forests and transitional humid to dry forests at elevations of 450-2050 m. The Pygmy Shrew Tenrec is generally restricted to intact forests but is tolerant of some disturbance.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Among wild-caught individuals, one pregnant Pygmy Shrew Tenrec had four embryos, and one female was lactating in early December.

Activity patterns. The Pygmy Shrew Tenrec is terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Pygmy Shrew Tenrec has a wide distribution and presumably large overall population, although it appears to be decreasing; it occurs in many protected areas. Major threats are habitat loss and fragmentation due to logging activities, use offire for forest clearing, and conversion to agricultural land.

Bibliography. Everson et al. (2016), Goodman & Jenkins (1998, 2000), Goodman, Jenkins & Pidgeon (1999), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Jenkins (2003), Jenkins, Goodman & Raxworthy (1996), Jenkins, Raxworthy & Nussbaum (1997), MacPhee (1987), Olson & Goodman (2003), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011), Stephenson et al. (2016k).

Figures

1. Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi), 2. Greater Hedgehog Tenrec (Setifer setosus), 3. Tailless Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus), 4. Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemacenteles semispinosus), 5. Highland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes nigriceps), 6. Large-eared Tenrec (Geogale aurita), 7. Mole-like Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes hova), 8. Four-toed Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes tetradactylus), 9. Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale dobsoni), 10. Talazac’s Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale talazact), 11. Montane Shrew Tenrec (Macrogale monticola), 12. Dryad Shrew Tenrec (Microgale dryas), 13. Short-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale brevicaudata), 14. Pygmy Shrew Tenrec (Microgale parvula), 15. Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Mucrogale longicaudata), 16. Drouhard’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale drouhardi), 17. Taiva Shrew Tenrec (Microgale taiva), 18. Pale Shrew (Tenrec Mucrogalefotsifotsy), 19. Greater Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale principula), 20. Cowan's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale cowant), 21. Naked-nosed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gymnorhyncha), 22. Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale soricoides), 23. Major's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale major), 24. Gracile Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gracilis), 25. Thomas’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale thomasi), 26. Grandidier’s Shrew Tenrec (Muicrogale grandidieri), 27. Web-footed Tenrec (Microgale mergulus), 28. Least Shrew Tenrec (Muicrogale pusilla), 29. Dark Shrew (Tenrec Microgalejobihely), 30. Nasolo’s Shrew Tenrec (Microgale nasoloi), 31. Jenkins’s Shrew (Tenrec Microgalejenkinsae)

Distribution. N, Northern and Central highlands, E & SE Madagascar.