Hemicentetes nigriceps, Gunther, 1875

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 : 165

5.

Highland Streaked Tenrec

Hemicentetes nigriceps

French: Tenrec a téte noire / German: Schwarzkopf-Streifentenrek / Spanish: Tenrec listado de tierras altas

Taxonomy. Hemicentetes nigriceps Gunther, 1875 , “Fienerentova [= Fianarantsoa],” Madagascar .

Hemicentetes and Tenrec form a clade, which is sister to a clade of Echinops and Setifer . Despite being distinguished from H. semi- spinosus by craniodental features by P. M. Butler in 1941 and G. E. Dobson in 1882, H. nigriceps was considered a subspecies of H. semispinosus by H. Genest and F. Petter in 1975 and R. Hutterer in 1993, until it was found to occur sympatrically with H. semispinosus by S. M. Goodman and others in 2000. Monotypic.

Distribution. E edge of Central Highlands of Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 124-174 mm, ear 15-21 mm, hindfoot 21-25 mm; weight 39-129 g. Highland Streaked Tenrecs have long, pointed snouts and lack external tails. Dorsum has dense, bristly, black fur, with prominent buffy crest of spines on nape, narrow buffy stripe on head, and mid-dorsal and lateral buffy stripes. Long guard hairs are distributed over dorsum, intermixed with sharply pointed spines; those within dark regions of dorsum are dark; those within light stripes are larger, thicker, and light in color; long thin spines form prominent transverse band on nape of neck; and stout, non-detachable, light-colored spines form stridulating organ in posterior mid-dorsal region. There is sharp demarcation along lateral region of head and body between black dorsal and light ventral surfaces; ventral pelage is soft butslightly bristly and buffy in color. Limbs are covered with soft bristly hair, dark buffy brown above and light buffy below. Rhinarium is naked and covered with oval scales. Ears are partially concealed in pelage. Forefeet are broad; first and fifth digits are short, shorter than or just reaching base of proximal digit; second, third and fourth digits are long with long, shallowly curved, stout claws. Hindfeet are moderately broad, with long claws on middle three digits. Skull has elongated rostrum, and teeth are reduced in size, most likely an adaptation to eating relatively soft invertebrates. Dental formula is I 3/3, C 1/1,P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 40.

Habitat. Humid forests; open woodland; montane heathlands; degraded, agricultural, and urban areas at elevations of 1200-2050 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Highland Streaked Tenrec mainly contains species of Annelida based on stomach contents and captive studies. Captive individuals ate some coleopteran larvae.

Breeding. Breeding of the Highland Streaked Tenrec extends from the beginning of Octoberto the end of March. Gestation lasts 55-58 days. Litters of wild-caught individuals had 1-5 young. In a single captive litter of three young, eyes opened at 7-12 days old, and solid food was eaten at c.3 weeks old.

Activity patterns. Highland Streaked Tenrecs are nocturnal and semi-fossorial. They have a daily rhythm, with individuals spending the day in burrows and their body temperatures rising in late afternoon prior to peak activity in early evening. They are obligate hibernators, entering seasonal torpor during austral winter. They excavate shallow burrows, with entrances plugged with leaves. In the wild near Manandroy and Fianarantsoa, they are generally torpid in June-July.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Predators include carnivores such as Fosas (Cryptoprocta ferox), Spotted Fanalokas (Fossa fossana), and Ring-tailed Vontsiras (Galidia elegans) and large snakes such as ground boas (Acrantophis).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Highland Streaked Tenrec has a wide distribution and high local population sizes (although overall trends are unknown), and it apparently can adapt to anthropogenic habitats. It may be hunted for food in some areas.

Bibliography. Asher & Hofreiter (2006), Butler (1941), Dobson (1882), Eisenberg & Gould (1970), Everson et al. (2016), Genest & Petter (1975), Goodman, Jenkins & Rakotondravony (2000), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Hutterer (1993), Marshall & Eisenberg (1996), Olson & Goodman (2003), Poux, Madsen, Glos et al. (2008), Poux, Madsen, Marquard et al. (2005), Salton & Sargis, (2008a, 2009), Soarimalala & Goodman (2011), Stephenson (2003b, 2007), Stephenson, Racey & Rakotondraparany (1994), Stephenson, Soarimalala & Goodman (2016d).

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. E edge of Central Highlands of Madagascar.