Pale Kleintenrek

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Pale Kleintenrek
Systematics
without rank: Afroinsectiphilia
Order : Tenrecus (Afrosoricida)
Family : Tenreks (Tenrecidae)
Subfamily : Travel treks (Oryzorictinae)
Genre : Kleintenreks ( Microgale )
Type : Pale Kleintenrek
Scientific name
Microgale fotsifotsy
Jenkins , Raxworthy & Nussbaum , 1997

The Pale Kleintenrek ( Microgale fotsifotsy ), also Pale Kleintanrek or Fahler Kleintenrek , is a species of mammal from the genus of Kleintenreks within the Tenrek family . It lives over a relatively large area in the tropical rainforests of eastern Madagascar . Its distribution area is not extensive, but is limited to individual localities in the middle and higher mountain ranges. The animals are characterized by a spindle-shaped body with short, strong legs and a long, pointed head. The tail is longer than the rest of the body, and the fur is generally brightly colored. Hardly any information is available on the species' way of life. The population is not threatened. The species was scientifically introduced in 1997.

features

Habitus

The Pale Kleintenrek is a small to medium-sized representative of the Kleintenreks. Its head-torso length , determined on the basis of 17 individuals from the entire distribution area, is 6.4 to 8.1 cm. The tail becomes 7.1 to 9.4 cm long and thus slightly longer than the rest of the body. An individual from the Marojejy National Park weighed 7.5 g, while three animals from the Anosyenne Mountains weighed between 6.8 and 9.1 g. With their spindle-shaped body, short and strong limbs and long, pointed head, the animals basically resemble the other small tenreks. The ears of the Pale Kleintenrek are prominent and brightly colored. Their length varies between 11 and 16 mm, and when folded forward they reach over the eyes. The back fur is soft and of a grayish yellowish-brown color. The single hairs have silver-gray bases, light yellowish brown shafts and dark brown tips. Guide hairs are thin and mostly dark brown to black in color, only the tips appear partially lighter. On the ventral side, light gray tones dominate with yellowish-brown to reddish washings. Here the individual hairs also have silver-gray bases, but cream-colored tips. The scaled tail is more or less two-colored, gray-brown above, light grayish to yellowish-brown below. The tip of the tail stands out due to a lighter tint, and a tuft of whitish hair is formed there. The tail is covered by a more or less dense coat of short hair, the individual lengths of which, when folded, take up about three rows of scales. The front and rear feet are characterized by a brown coat, the fingers and toes contrast with their light tint. Sometimes there is a light line on the outside. There are five beams in each case. At the rear of the foot the outer ray (ray V) is elongated and thus hardly shorter than the inner ray (ray I). The entire rear foot becomes 14 to 18 mm long. Females have one pair of teats in the breast region and two pairs in the lumbar region .

Skull and dentition features

The length of the skull varies from 19.8 to 21.6 mm, the largest width on the skull is 8.6 to 9.7 mm. Overall, the skull looks rather small, the rostrum is moderately wide at 5.8 to 6.6 mm, the rear section of the skull has a broad and short structure. As with all tenreks, a closed zygomatic arch is missing , the anterior arch attachment (the maxillary process of the zygomatic arch) protrudes at right angles to the skull. The bit is made up of a total of 40 teeth along the dental formula is: . In the upper row of teeth, the front teeth are not closed, but are separated from one another by short diastemas up to the second premolar (P3) . In the lower jaw there is only sometimes a gap between the canine and the anterior premolar (P2). The two front incisors of the upper and lower row of teeth are large, the innermost one is slightly inclined forward ( proodont ). The third incisor is again small, while the canine clearly protrudes over the subsequent premolars. All front teeth have additional cusps on the tooth crowns. The molars are characterized by their zalambdodontic chewing surface pattern with three main cusps. Otherwise there are only a few differences to those of the other Kleintenreks. The third upper molar is smaller, but very wide compared to the previous molar. The length of the upper row of teeth is 9.5 to 10.6 mm.

distribution

Distribution area of ​​the pale little tenrec

The Pale Kleintenrek is endemic to Madagascar , where it is distributed over a large area of ​​the eastern part of the island, which extends in a more or less narrow strip between the 12th and 24th parallel south. Within this area, the species has only been proven at individual localities. The most important in the north include the Montagne d'Ambre , the Anjanaharibe massif and the Marojejy massif, as well as the Ambolokopatrika – Antsahamihitso forest area connecting the two massifs, all in the province of Antsiranana . In addition there is the Tsaratanana massif with the highest mountain on the island in the province of Mahajanga . In the central highlands, the forest area of ​​Tsinjoarivo in the province of Antananarivo , the forest areas of Ambatovaky and Ambatovy-Analamay-Torotorofotsy and Zahamena in the province of Toamasina and the forest corridor of Anjozorobe-Angavo in the border area of ​​the two provinces are of importance, while evidence from the southern parts of the country from the forest area of ​​Ramonafana and the Andringitra Mountains in the province of Fianarantsoa and the Anosyenne Mountains or Marosohy in the province of Toliara . The animals inhabit the humid, evergreen tropical rainforests of the middle and higher mountain ranges. Their height distribution ranges from 600 to 2500 m above sea level, in areas below 600 m the Pale Kleintenrek is probably absent. Based on the number of animals caught so far, it is assumed that the species occurs relatively frequently.

Way of life

There is hardly any information on the way of life of the pale little tenrec. Most animals have so far been caught on the forest floor, which suggests ground-dwelling locomotion. In contrast, one individual was found in a trap at a height of 1.5 m. The species may also be able to climb trees. This is supported by the long tail and the elongated rear foot with the also elongated fifth toe. These characteristics are also found to a greater extent in the small long-tailed small tenrek ( Microgale longicaudata ), the small tenrek that is best adapted to a tree life. Isotope analysis of animals from the forest area of ​​Tsinjoarivo shows that the diet is mainly based on insects . Two female animals captured in December 1993 in the Andringitra Mountains were pregnant and carried three and four embryos, respectively . These were 15 to 17 mm long. Fleas of the genus Paractenopsyllus appear as external parasites of the pale little tenrec .

Systematics

Internal systematics of the Kleintenreks according to Everson et al. 2016
 Microgale  



 Microgale pusilla


   

 Microgale majori


   

 Microgale principula


   

 Microgale jenkinsae


   

 Microgale longicaudata






   

 Microgale mergulus


   

 Microgale parvula




   



 Microgale brevicaudata


   

 Microgale grandidieri



   

 Microgale drouhardi


   

 Microgale monticola


   

 Microgale taiva





   



 Microgale gracilis


   

 Microgale thomasi


   

 Microgale cowani


   

 Microgale jobihely





   

 Microgale dryas


   

 Microgale gymnorhyncha




   

 Microgale soricoides


   

 Microgale fotsifotsy


   

 Microgale nasoloi







Template: Klade / Maintenance / Style

The pale Kleintenrek is a kind from the genus of microgale ( Microgale ) within the family of tenrecs (Tenrecidae). The Kleintenreks form together with the rice burrowers ( Oryzorictes ) and the representatives of the genus Nesogale the subfamily of the Reistenreks (Oryzorictinae). With more than 20 species, the Kleintenreks represent the most diverse member of the Tenreks, due to some morphological features they are also considered to be originally within the family. According to molecular genetic analyzes, the genus originated in the Lower Miocene around 16.8 million years ago, and it diversified very strongly in the period that followed. Among today's representatives there are adaptations to different ways of life, for example, there are forms that dig underground, live above ground or tree-climbing and water-dwelling forms. The majority of the Kleintenreks inhabit the humid forests of eastern Madagascar, a few species are also found in the drier landscapes of the western part of the island. Within the genus, different kinship groups can be identified both morphologically and genetically. The closest relatives of the Pale Kleintenrek include the Nasolo-Kleintenrek ( Microgale nasoloi ) and the Shrew-Kleintenrek ( Microgale soricoides ).

There are no known subspecies of the pale lesser tenreks. However, due to the wide distribution area, the animals have a noticeable range of variation in some characteristics. There are differences in the color of the fur, which is generally paler in animals from the Montagne d'Ambre than in comparison to those from Ambatovaky and Zahamena or from the Andringitra Mountains , whose fur is often reddish. Individuals from the latter region are also on average slightly larger. In general, there seems to be a difference in size between smaller animals from low altitudes and larger animals from the higher altitudes of the distribution. Genetic data show a clear differentiation within the pale small ternrect. According to analyzes of the mitochondrial DNA, there are two clades , of which the southern one is more closely related to the shrew Kleintenrek, while the northern one is closer to the Nasolo Kleintenrek. Studies carried out at the same time on the nuclear DNA could not confirm this, but show a gene flow between the pale little tenrek of the south and the shrew little tenrek. There are also individual morphometric differences between the two populations of the Pale Lesser Ternre. Scientists therefore assume that the animals from the southern distribution area most likely represent their own species.

The first scientific description of the pale little tenreks comes from Paulina D. Jenkins , Christopher J. Raxworthy and Ronald A. Nussbaum . It was published in 1997, based on around two dozen individuals collected during various expeditions to eastern Madagascar . The holotype represents a fully grown male. It was recovered by Raxworthy in mid-January 1992 in the rainforests around the Antomboka River in the Montagne d'Ambre in the Antsiranana province , the elevation is about 650 m. The region is to be understood as the type area of ​​the pale little tenrec. The specific epithet fotsifotsy comes from the Malagasy language and means "pale" or "white". It refers to the light color of the back fur as well as the light feet and the tip of the tail.

Threat and protection

The IUCN classifies the Pale Kleintenrek as "not threatened" ( least concern ). The reasons for this are the wide distribution of the species and its relatively frequent occurrence. Deforestation, the reduction of the quality of the habitat through grazing and forest fires can affect the individual stands locally; the latter is particularly problematic at lower altitudes. The animals are represented in numerous nature reserves, including the Ranomafana National Park , the National Park Andohahela , in Amber Mountain National Park , the National Park Marojejy , in Andringitra National Park as well as in numerous other reserves. For more effective protection of the pale small ternrex, further studies on the distribution and its biology and ecology are necessary.

literature

  • Paulina D. Jenkins, Christopher J. Raxworthy and Ronald A. Nussbaum: A new species of Microgale (Insectivora, Tenrecidae), with comments on the status of four other taxa of shrew tenrecs. Bulletin of the Natural History Museum of London (Zoology) 63 (1), 1997, pp. 1-12
  • Paulina D. Jenkins: Tenrecidae (Tenrecs and Shrew tenrecs). In: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 8: Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2018, pp. 134–172 (p. 169) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Steven M. Goodman and Paulina D. Jenkins: Tenrecs (Lipotyphla; Tenrecidae) of the Parc National de Marojejy, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology 97, 2000, pp. 201-229
  2. ^ A b Steven M. Goodman, Paulina D. Jenkins and Mark Pidgeon: Lipotyphla (Tenrecidae and Soricidae) of the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d'Andohahela, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology 94, 1999, pp. 187-216
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g Paulina D. Jenkins, Christopher J. Raxworthy and Ronald A. Nussbaum: A new species of Microgale (Insectivora, Tenrecidae), with comments on the status of four other taxa of shrew tenrecs. Bulletin of the Natural History Museum of London (Zoology) 63 (1), 1997, pp. 1-12
  4. ^ A b Paulina D. Jenkins, Steven M. Goodman and Christopher J. Raxworthy: The Shrew Tenrecs (Microgale) (Insectivora: Tenrecidae) of the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d'Andringitra, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology 85, 1996, pp. 191-217
  5. ↑ a b c Paulina D. Jenkins: Tenrecidae (Tenrecs and Shrew tenrecs). In: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 8: Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2018, pp. 134–172 (p. 169) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4
  6. ↑ Steven M. Goodman and Paulina D. Jenkins: The Insectivores of the Réserve Spéciale d'Anjanaharibe-Sud, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology 90, 1998, pp. 139-161
  7. ^ Franco Andreone, Jasmin E. Randrianirina, Paula D. Jenkins and Gennaro Aprea: Species diversity of Amphibia, Reptilia and Lipotyphla (Mammalia) at Ambolokopatrika, a rainforest between the Anjanaharibe-Sud and Marojejy massifs, NE Madagascar. Biodiversity and Conservation 9, 2000, pp. 1587-1622
  8. ↑ Voahangy Soarimalala and Steven M. Goodman: Diversité biologique the micromammifères non volants (Lipotyphla et Rodentia) dans le complexe Marojejy Anjanaharibe-sud. In: Steven M. Goodman and Lucienne Wilmé (eds.): Nouveaux résultats faisant référence à l'altitude dans la région des massifs montagneux de Marojejy et d'Anjanaharibe-sud. Recherche pour le développement, Série Sciences biologiques, Center d'Information et de Documentation Scientifique et Technique 19, 2003, pp. 231-276
  9. ↑ Claudette Patricia Maminirina, Steven M. Goodman and Christopher J. Raxworthy: Les micro-mammifères (Mammalia, Rodentia, Afrosoricida et Soricomorpha) du du massif Tsaratanana et biogeography of Forests de montagnes de Madagascar. Zoosystema 30, 2008, pp. 695-721
  10. ↑ Steven M. Goodman, Daniel Rakotondravony, Marie Jeanne Raherilalao, Domoina Rakotomalala, Achille P. Raselimanana, Voahangy Soarimalala, Jean-Marc Duplantier, Jean-Bernard Duchemin and J. Rafanomezantsoa: Inventaire biologique de la Foret de Tsinjoarivo, Ambatolampy. Akon'ny Ala 27, 2000, pp. 18-27
  11. ↑ Voahangy Soarimalala and Martin Raheriarisena: The non-volant and non-primate mammals of the Ambatovy Analamay forest. In: Steven. M. Goodman and V. Mass (Eds.): Biodiversity, exploration, and conservation of the natural habitats associated with the Ambatovy project. Malagasy Nature 3, 2010, pp. 153-177
  12. ↑ Voahangy Soarimalala, Landryh T. Ramanana, José M. Ralison and Steven M. Goodman: Les petits mammifères non-volants du “Couloir forestier d'Anjozorobe - Angavo”. In: Steven M. Goodman, Achille P. Raselimanana and Lucienne Wilmé (eds.): Inventaires de la faune et de la flore du couloir forestier d'Anjozorobe - Angavo. Recherche pour le développement, Série Sciences biologiques, Center d'Information et de Documentation Scientifique et Technique 24, 2007, pp. 141-182
  13. ↑ Voahangy Soarimalala, Steven M. Goodman, H. Ramiaranjanahary, LL Fenohery and W. Rakotonirina: Les micromammifères non-volants du Parc National de Ranomafana et du couloir forestier qui le relie au Parc National d'Andringitra. Dans Inventaire biologique du Parc National de Ranomafana et du couloir forestier qui la relie au Parc National d'Andringitra. In: Steven M. Goodman and VR Razafindratsita (eds.): Recherches pour le Développement. Série Sciences Biologiques 17, 2001, pp. 199-229
  14. ↑ Landryh Tojomanana Ramanana: Petits mammifères (Afrosoricida et Rodentia) nouvellement recensés dans le Parc National d'Andohahela (parcelle 1), Madagascar. Malagasy Nature 4, 2010, pp. 66-72
  15. ^ A b P. J. Stephenson, Voahangy Soarimalala and Steven M. Goodman: Microgale fotsifotsy. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. e.T62013A97191387 ( [1] ); last accessed on July 23, 2016
  16. ↑ Melanie Dammhahn, Voahangy Soarimalala and Steven M. Goodman: Trophic Niche Differentiation and Microhabitat Utilization in a Species-rich Montane Forest Small Mammal Community of Eastern Madagascar. Biotropica 45 (1), 2013, pp. 111-118
  17. ↑ J.-B. Duchemin: Leptopsyllines from Madagascar (Insecta: Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae): Description of five new species of Paractenopsyllus Wagner, (1938). Parasite 11, 2004, pp. 59-70
  18. ↑ Michael W. Hastriter and Carl W. Dick: A description of Paractenopsyllus madagascarensis sp. n. and the female of Paractenopsyllus raxworthyi Duchemin & Ratovonjato, 2004 (Siphonaptera, Leptopsyllidae) from Madagascar with a key to the species of Paractenopsyllus. ZooKeys 13, 2009, pp. 43-55
  19. ↑ a b c Kathryn M. Everson, Voahangy Soarimalala, Steven M. Goodman and Link E. Olson: Multiple loci and complete taxonomic sampling resolve the phylogeny and biogeographic history of tenrecs (Mammalia: Tenrecidae) and reveal higher speciation rates in Madagascar's humid forests . Systematic Biology 65 (5), 2016, pp. 890-909 doi: 10.1093 / sysbio / syw034
  20. ^ JF Eisenberg and Edwin Gould: The Tenrecs: A Study in Mammalian Behavior and Evolution. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1970, pp. 1-138
  21. ^ RDE MacPhee: The Shrew Tenrecs of Madagascar: Systematic Revision and Holocene Distribution of Microgale (Tenrecidae, Insectivora). American Museum Novitates 2889, 1987, pp. 1-45
  22. ↑ Kathryn M. Everson, Steven M. Goodman and Link E. Olson: Speciation and gene flow in two sympatric small mammals from Madagascar, Microgale fotsifotsy and M. soricoides (Mammalia: Tenrecidae). Molecular Ecology 29 (9), 2020, pp. 1717-1729 doi: 10.1111 / mec.15433

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