Microgale fotsifotsy, Jenkins, Rax- worthy & Nussbaum, 1997, Jenkins, Rax- worthy & Nussbaum, 1997

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 : 169

18.

Pale Shrew

Tenrec

Mucrogalefotsifotsy

French: Microgale pale / German: Fahler Kleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana palida

Other common names: Pale-footed Shrew Tenrec

Taxonomy. MicrogalefotsifotsyJenkins, Rax- worthy & Nussbaum, 1997 ,

“Camp 2, An- tomboka River Fitsahana, Parc National de la Montagne d’Ambre, Antsiranana Fivon- dronana, Antsiranana Province 12°29’S 49°10’E, altitude 650m”, Madagascar.

Microgale fotsifotsy forms a clade with M. nasoloi . Monotypic.

Distribution. N, E & SE Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 59-81 mm, tail 69-94 mm, ear 11-17 mm, hindfoot

14-18 mm; weight 7-15 g. Tail of the Pale Shrew Tenrec is nearly equal to head-body length. Dorsal pelage is soft and pale grizzled yellowish brown and gray; venteris light gray, with buff or reddish wash. Tail is basically bicolored, gray brown above and light gray buff below, with contrastingly light-colored tip and usually thin pencil of white hairs. Feet are brown, with contrastingly light-colored digits. Pinnae are prominent, conspicuous, and pale in color. Fifth digit of hindfoot is elongated and scarcely shorter than second.

Habitat. Humid forests and some transitional humid to dry forests at elevations of 600-2500 m but recently reported at lower elevations.

Food and Feeding. The Pale Shrew Tenrec eats species of Orthoptera and Coleoptera.

Breeding. Three to four embryos were found in wild-caught Pale Shrew Tenrecs.

Activity patterns. Pale Shrew Tenrecs are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Pale Shrew Tenrec is widely distributed and occurs in some protected areas.Its overall population is presumably large but probably decreasing. Major threats are habitat loss and degradation by cattle at all elevations and by fires mainly at lower elevations.

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

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, E & SE Madagascar.