Muicrogale pusilla, Major, 1896

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 : 171-172

28.

Least Shrew Tenrec

Muicrogale pusilla

French: Petit Microgale / German: Gnomkleintenrek / Spanish: Tenrec musarana minima

Other common names: Lesser Shrew Tenrec

Taxonomy. Microgale pusilla Major, 1896 ,

“Forest of the Independent Tanala of Ikongo, in the neighbourhood of Vi-

nanitelo,” Madagascar. Restricted by R. D. E. MacPhee in 1987 to “50 km SE of Fianarantsoa town and 10 km SSE of Vo- hitrafeno town, western margin of eastern forest; Fianarantsoa, Fianarantsoa [Province, Madagascar]; 21°45’S, 47°17L. Further clarified by M. D. Carleton and D. F. Schmidt in 1990 and P. D. Jenkins and Carleton in 2005 to “21°43’S, 47°16’E.”

Recent comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that M. pusilla is sister to a clade of M. jenkinsae , M. longicaudata , M. majori , and M. principula . Monotypic.

Distribution. Central Highlands, E & SE Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 51-63 mm,tail 62-85 mm, ear 8-13 mm, hindfoot 11-13 mm; weight 3-5 g. The Least Shrew Tenrec is very small, and tail is long, 130-160% of head-body length. Dorsal pelage is soft and grizzled reddish brown, and venteris gray, with a buffy wash.

Habitat. Humid forests (tolerant of some disturbance) and wet grasslands to marshy habitats at elevations of 530-1670 m (but recently documented at higher elevations).

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Least Shrew Tenrec is widely distributed and occurs in several protected areas. It uses some disturbed habitats, including urban rice fields. Its overall population appears to be stable, but major threats could be habitat degradation and use offire for forest clearing.

Bibliography. Carleton & Schmidt (1990), Everson et al. (2016), Goodman etal. (2013), Jenkins (2003), Jenkins & Carleton (2005), MacPhee (1987), Olson & Goodman (2003), Stephenson et al. (2016m).

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. Central Highlands, E & SE Madagascar.