Caenolestes sangay, Ojala-Barbour et al., 2013

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2015, Caenolestidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 5 Monotremes and Marsupials, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 188-197 : 196

5.

Sangay Shrew-opossum

Caenolestes sangay

French: Cénoleste du Sangay / German: Sangay-Opossummaus / Spanish: Raton marsupial de Sangay

Taxonomy. Caenolestes sangay Ojala-Barbour et al., 2013 ,

“2,795 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes at Tinguichaca (2° 13’ 48-72” S, 78° 26’ 42-14” W) in Sangay National Park, Morona Santiago, Ecuador, along the Macas—Riobamba highway.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from the E slope of the Andes in S Ecuador, along the Macas—Riobamba highway, at elevations of 2050-2962 m.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 9.9-13.7 cm, tail 9.5-13 cm, hindfoot 2:2.2-8 cm; weight 30-53 g. The Sangay Shrew-opossum is sexually dimorphic in size, with males generally being larger than females. It is medium-sized and has grizzled brownish-gray dorsum and distinctly contrasting cream to pale-gray venter without pectoral spot. Tail is noticeably bicolored, with a very dark dorsum and warmer, drab-brown venter. Major palatine foramen of the Sangay Shrew-opossum is especially long and broad, and posterior margin of the post-palatine torus is curved and delicate.

Habitat. Primary and secondary upper montane cloud forest, with abundant ferns, mosses, bromeliads, and orchids. The Sangay Shrew-opossum lives on steep slopes and in riparian forests.

Food and Feeding. The Sangay Shrew-opossum appears to share insectivorous habits of other species of shrew-opossums. Stomach contents of three individuals contained a variety of insect and plant remains, including a larval click-beetle ( Elateridae ), an arachnid ( Lycosidae ), a dipteran, a wasp ( Pteromalidae ), an unidentified larva, bryophytes, rhizomes, an unidentified fruit, small dark hairs, and an intact, unidentified flatworm that may have been an endoparasite.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, butfive individuals marked and released at the site of capture were not recaptured in four subsequent trapping periods. Like other shrew-opossums, Sangay Shrew-opossums may become trap-shy.

Status and Conservation. As a newly described species, the conservation status of the Sangay Shrew-opossum has not been assessed on The IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, despite its use of both primary and secondary forests, it may qualify as Vulnerable because of its restricted geographical distribution (many co-occurring species are endemic to this section of the Andes) and declining population inferred from progressive deforestation.

Bibliography. Ojala-Barbour et al. (2013).

Figures

1. Gray-bellied Shrew-opossum (Caenolestes caniventer), 2. Condor Shrew-opossum (Caenolestes condorensis), 3. Blackish Shrew-opossum (Caenolestes convelatus), 4. Dusky Shrew-opossum (Caenolestes fuliginosus), 5. Sangay Shrew-opossum (Caenolestes sangay), 6. Incan Shrew-opossum (Lestoros inca), 7. Long-nosed Shrew-opossum (Rhyncholestes raphanurus)

Distribution. Known only from the E slope of the Andes in S Ecuador, along the Macas—Riobamba highway, at elevations of 2050-2962 m.