Setifer setosus, Schreber, 1778

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 : 163-164

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Greater Hedgehog Tenrec

Setifer setosus

French: Grand Tenrec-hérisson / German: GroRRer Igeltenrek / Spanish: Tenrec erizo mayor

Other common names: Greater Madagascar Tenrec, Large Madagascar Hedgehog

Taxonomy. FErinaceus setosus Schreber, 1778 ,

“Madagascar.”

It has been suggested that S. sefosus and Echinops telfairi shared an arboreal com- mon ancestor. The clade of Sefifer and Echinopsis sister to that of Hemicentetes and Tenrec . Various subspecies of S. setosus were described based on color, but additional research is required to verify them. Mono-Oo

Distribution. N, Northern Highlands, W, Central Highlands, E & S Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 140-230 mm, tail 9-17 mm, ear 14-26 mm, hindfoot 23-35 mm; weight 108-350 g. Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs are very similar in appearance to hedgehogs ( Erinaceidae ), an example of convergent evolution. Head from between level of eyes and dorsal and lateral surfaces of body are covered with dense, sharp, bristly spines. Spines are pale buffy for most of their lengths and then dark brown with contrasting white or lighttips; there is some regional variation in color. No obvious underfur is present among spines. Ventral surface is buffy brown, and head and limbs are well covered with moderately long, soft but bristly hair. Facial vibrissae are long and prominent. Ears are not very evident against spines on head. Lactating females have five pairs of prominent mammae. Dental formulais 12/2, C 1/1, P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 36.

Habitat. Humid, sub-humid, dry, and dry spiny forests; open woodland; and degraded, agricultural, and urban areas, even with extensive human disturbance, from sea level to elevations of ¢.2250 m. Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs occur in all phytogeographic zones of Madagascar.

Food and Feeding. Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs eat species of Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, and Annelida. Carrion is probably eaten because Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs are known to scavenge around garbage in towns. Prey is detected by scent and seized by the mouth.

Breeding. Most breeding activity of Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs occurred in late September to mid-October. In Manandroy and Alamakisy Ambohimaha regions and Ankarafantsika National Park in western Madagascar, all females were at some stage of reproduction between October, shortly after emergence from hibernation, and April, just before reentering hibernation. Gestation lasts c¢.63-65 days; females increase nest building activity in the week preceding parturition. In the wild, a single female was pregnant with three embryos in January. Young are born with eyes and auditory meatus closed, slight evidence of spines on dorsum, and hairs on venter. Eyes open at 9-14 days old, auditory meatus open at c.10 days old, and solid food is sampled at c.14 days old, at which time young start to follow mothers outside nests. At Ankarafantsika, lactating females maintained the same nest site for 20-25 days until young were old enough to accompany them when foraging, and then nest sites were changed daily. Atthis location, females were still lactating 30-40 days postpartum, at which time they were pregnant.

Activity patterns. Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs are terrestrial but have some climbing ability, with some forelimb morphology indicating arboreal ancestry. They are generally active year-round, as in humid forest at Ivohibe, although many individuals might become semi-torpid or torpid for varying periods at various times during austral dry season, depending on location, climatic conditions, and food availability. Seasonal torpidity has recently been noted in dry deciduous woodland in Ankarafantsika. Greater Hedgehog Tenrecs are nocturnal, spending the day in slightly modified burrows in crevices between tree roots or more elaborate burrows with short tunnels leading to a nest chamber lined with leaves and dried grass. They also climb to nest in tree hollows at low levels. They have bimodal activity peaks at ¢.19:00 h and 02:00 h, with a minimum of activity at 12:00 h. Increase in activity is accompanied by increased body temperature and breathing frequency.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Adults are generally solitary when foraging at night and at most rest sites during the day, but one of four nests contained two males. In Ankarafantsika, males had average home ranges of 13-7 ha (9-1-21-1 ha, n = 5), and female home ranges were smaller, averaging 6-7 ha (4-3-9 ha, n = 5). Home ranges were not exclusive, and those of most individuals overlapped with multiple individuals of the opposite sex. Daytime rest sites for males and non-lactating females changed daily but were revisited over the active season. Lactating females maintained the same nestsites for ¢.20-25 consecutive days, usually in closed tree hollows more than 2 m above the ground. In captivity when same-sexed pairs were introduced in a neutral area, pairs sniffed each other before mutual avoidance; much more contact was shown during male-female interactions; unreceptive females rebuffed males and moved away; if the female was receptive, male scent-marked and had white discharge around his eyes. Scent marking includes rubbing cheek or chin on twigs, dragging perineal region against substrates, and depositing feces close to burrow entrances.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Greater Hedgehog Tenrec is widespread, has a stable overall population, and occurs in various primary and disturbed habitats. Although it can be locally threatened by overhunting and habitat loss, it does not face any major conservation threats.

Bibliography. Asher & Hofreiter (2006), Eisenberg & Gould (1970), Everson et al. (2016), Goodman & Jenkins (1998, 2000), Goodman, Jenkins & Pidgeon (1999), Goodman, Soarimalala et al. (2013), Herter (1964), Levesque et al. (2012), Olson & Goodman (2003), Poux, Madsen, Glos et al. (2008), Poux, Madsen, Marquard et al. (2005), Salton & Sargis (2008a, 2008b, 2009), Soarimalala & Goodman (2003, 2011), Stephenson et al. (2016b).

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 Highlands, W, Central Highlands, E & S Madagascar.