Major long-tailed Kleintenrek

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Major long-tailed Kleintenrek
Systematics
without rank: Afroinsectiphilia
Order : Tenrecus (Afrosoricida)
Family : Tenreks (Tenrecidae)
Subfamily : Travel treks (Oryzorictinae)
Genre : Kleintenreks ( Microgale )
Type : Major long-tailed Kleintenrek
Scientific name
Microgale majori
Thomas , 1918

The major long-tailed Kleintenrek or Major-Long-tailed Tanrek ( Microgale majori ) is a species of mammal from the genus of Kleintenreks within the Tenreks family . It occurs in Madagascar and inhabits the humid rainforest areas of the eastern part of the country, but is also adapted to the dry forests of the west. Preferred habitats are the middle and higher mountain regions. The species represents a rather small representative of the Kleintenreks. It resembles its relatives with its spindle-shaped body, strong limbs and long, narrow, pointed-nosed head; the very long tail, which is almost twice the length of the rest of the body, should be emphasized. Little is known about the way of life, the animals may sometimes climb trees. The first description dates back to 1918, and for a long time there was no consensus on the independence of the species. The population is not threatened.

features

Habitus

The major long-tailed Kleintenrek is a small representative of the Kleintenreks. A selection from the type series from Ankafina in central-eastern Madagascar has a head-trunk length of 5.2 to 6.1 cm and a tail length of 10.9 to 11.9 cm. Information on weight is not available. Four examined individuals from the Andringitra Mountains in southeastern Madagascar had a total length of 18.2 to 20.0 cm. The head-body length was 6.3 to 7.2 cm, the tail length was 11.5 to 12.9 cm. The weight varied from 5.6 to 7.5 g. Outwardly, the major long-tailed small tenrek resembles the small long-tailed small tenrek ( Microgale longicaudata ), but is on average smaller than this and has a relatively slightly shorter tail, which is almost twice the length of the rest of the body. Like all Kleintenreks, the animals are characterized by a spindle-shaped body with strong, short limbs and a long, narrow and pointed head. The ears are relatively large with a length of 13 to 15 mm. The trunk is characterized by a dark brown back and a dark gray belly side. Sometimes reddish-brown washings appear, on the underside there are also yellowish tones mixed. The hair has dark, slate-gray bases. The tail is brown on top, sharply separated on the underside, reddish to yellowish brown. The rear 9 mm of the tail is hairless on the underside. Front and rear legs each end in five rays. The hands and feet have a brownish color on the hind feet, reddish to yellowish-brown colors appear laterally. The length of the rear foot is 14 to 16 mm, the elongated outer toe is striking here.

Skull and dentition features

The greatest length of the skull is 18.5 to 19.4 mm, the greatest width measured on the skull is 8.1 to 8.3 mm. In principle, the skull is similar to that of the small long-tailed kittenrek, but it is smoother and not so bulky in the rear area. The rostrum is moderately short, the nasal bone extends into the eye region. The zygomatic arches are not as closed at all microgale. The posterior part of the skull appears comparatively long, the parietal and occipital bones are each large. The dentition consists of 40 teeth, the dental formula is: . In the upper row of teeth, short diastemas occur between the first two incisors and from the third incisor to the second premolar (P3) , so that there is no closed row of teeth. The upper central incisor, the canine and the first premolar (P2) also have small cusps on the tooth crown. The anterior lower premolar resembles a canine tooth ( caniniform ). The molar correspond with their zalambdodonten Kauflächenmuster consisting of three main bumps those of the other microgale, the upper rear molar is reduced. The length of the upper row of teeth is 8.6 to 9.0 mm, of which the series from the canine to the last molar takes up about 6.8 mm. The lower row of teeth is 9.1 mm long.

distribution

Distribution area of ​​the major long-tailed lesser tenrec

The major long-tailed small tenrek is endemic to Madagascar . It occurs mainly in the eastern part of the island state. Its distribution area extends in a more or less wide strip from Manongarivo in the Antsiranana province in the north to the Anosyenne Mountains in the Toliara province in the south. Other significant sites are in the Andringitra Mountains also in the south of the island in the province of Fianarantsoa or in the central area of ​​the island in the forest corridor of Anjozorobe-Angavo in the border area of ​​the provinces Toamasina and Antananarivo or in the forest areas of Analamay, Ambatovy and Torotorofotsy in the province Toamasina and in the north on the Tsaratanana massif with the highest mountain on the island in the Mahajanga province . Somewhat apart from this main distribution area, there are detection points of the species in the forest areas of Ambohitantely and Tsinjoarivo north and south of the Malagasy capital Antananarivo in the province of the same name. The animals live here in the eastern part of the island in the humid rainforests of the middle and higher mountains. In contrast to numerous other small tenrec of the humid eastern part of the island, the major long-tailed small tenrek has also opened up the dry forests of the western part of Madagascar. The forest areas of Ambohijanahary in the province of Mahajanga and of Analavelona in the province of Toliara are particularly noteworthy . Both sites are separated from the main distribution area; the nasolo-Kleintenrek ( Microgale nasoloi ) has also been identified in the latter . In addition to being found in natural forests, the species occasionally occurs in landscapes that have been impaired by humans. The altitude distribution generally ranges from 800 to 2500 m above sea level. In numerous areas of the distribution area, especially in the eastern part of the island, the major long-tailed small tenrek occurs sympatric with the small long-tailed small tenrek . In general, the species is considered common.

Way of life

There is hardly any information about the way of life of the major long-tailed lesser tenreks. The animals are forest dwellers. Some features such as the extremely long tail and the elongated outer toe on the hind foot suggest that they partially climb trees ( scansorial ). The bare tip of the tail indicates its use as a prehensile tail , but there are hardly any observations to date. The diet is mainly based on insects, as isotope studies on animals from the forest area of ​​Tsinjoarivo have shown. So far, fleas of the genus Paractenopsyllus and ticks of the genus Ixodes have been identified as external parasites .

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 major long-tailed Kleintenrek is a kind from the genus of microgale ( Microgale ) within the family of tenrecs (Tenrecidae). The Kleintenreks are part of the subfamily of the Reistenreks (Oryzorictinae), which also includes the rice burrowers ( Oryzorictes ) and members of the genus Nesogale . With more than 20 species, they also form the most diverse member of the Tenreks; due to some morphological features, the Kleintenreks are considered to be more originally within the family. According to molecular genetic analyzes, the genus originated in the Lower Miocene around 16.8 million years ago and diversified very strongly in the period that followed. Today's representatives have adapted to different ways of life, so there are forms that sometimes dig underground, live above ground, or tree-climbing and water-dwelling forms. The majority of the Kleintenreks inhabit the humid forests of eastern Madagascar, but 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 detected both morphologically and genetically. The extremely long tail connects the major long-tailed small tenrek with other long-tailed representatives of the genus, such as the small long-tailed small tenrek ( Microgale longicaudata ) or the large long-tailed small tenrek ( Microgale principula ), which is also supported by genetic data.

Subspecies of the major long-tailed lesser tenrec are not known. A right upper jaw fragment with the first two molars from the Ankilitelo Cave on the southern edge of the Mikoboka Plateau in southwestern Madagascar has been described as a subfossil . The cave has been scientifically developed since 1994 and contains a rich fauna consisting of over 5000 bone remains. In addition to various primates , bats and rodents , these also include at least half a dozen species of tenreks. The age of the finds is between 510 and 630 years. The region lies outside of today's distribution area of ​​the major long-tailed lesser tenreks and is characterized by a very dry climate.

In 1882, Oldfield Thomas had described a series of 39 individuals as the little long-tailed little tenrek. The finds came from the Ankafina forest area in central-eastern Madagascar and had been collected there by W. Deans Cowan the year before. Two of the individuals stood out from the others due to their larger dimensions, but largely corresponded to them in their external appearance. Some time later, Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major pointed out that the series of finds possibly contained two species. This prompted Thomas to split off the 37 smaller individuals from the series of finds in 1918 and describe them as Microgale majori . As a holotype , he chose a fully grown female with a body length of 6 cm and a tail length of 10.9 cm. With the specific epithet majori , Thomas thanked Major for the hint.

The independence of the species was often debated in the following years. Terence Morrison-Scott suspected in 1948 that it was identical to the small long-tailed Kleintenrek, Henri Heim de Balsac saw it as independent in the 1970s. In a revision of the Kleintenreks from 1987 , Ross DE MacPhee then synonymous the major long-tailed small tenrek with the small long-tailed small tenrek due to the lack of distinguishing features. He suspected that the type specimen of the first kind was possibly not yet fully grown due to the relatively short tail compared to other individuals. The expeditions to explore the biological diversity of Madagascar, mainly carried out in the mid-1990s, therefore did not lead the major long-tailed small tenrek, although it occurs relatively frequently in the Andringitra and Anosyenne mountains, among others . However, Steven M. Goodman and research colleagues in 1998 pointed out significant differences in size between the major and the small long-tailed small tenrek, which means that the smaller individuals from the Andringitra Mountains, for example, are more likely to be in the former form. In a morphometric and genetic study, which was presented in 2004 by Link E. Olson and other colleagues, the major long-tailed small tenrek, on the other hand, could be distinguished very well from the other long-tailed small ternreks. It turned out to be the most common form that inhabits the wet forests of eastern Madagascar and the dry landscapes of the western part of the island. The authors also noted that there may be several cryptic species . A chromosome study published a short time later, however, did not make it possible to separate the major long-tailed small tenrek from the small long-tailed small tenrek, since both species are cytogenetically identical. In contrast, molecular genetic analyzes from 2016 regard both forms as independent.

Threat and protection

There are no known major threats to the major long-tailed lesser tiger population. However, in the long term, the loss of habitat through forest destruction as a result of conversion into agriculturally usable area or the removal of construction timber could have a negative impact. Forest fires also have a certain impact on populations . However, the species is widespread and the population may be correspondingly large. Because of this, the IUCN classifies the major long-tailed small tenrek as "not threatened" ( least concern ). It is represented in numerous protected areas. In the north of the country, the Manongarivo Special Reserve is one of them, in the central area the Ambohitantely Special Reserve and the Ambohijanahary Special Reserve should be mentioned, while in the south the Andringitra National Park and the Andohahela National Park are of great importance. For the future, a revision of the major, the small and the large long-tailed small ternreks is necessary in order to be able to define the exact distribution area of ​​the three closely related species.

literature

  • 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. 170) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4
  • Oldfield Thomas: On the arrangement of the small Tenrecidae hitherto referred to Oryzorictes and Microgale. Annals and magazine of natural history 14, 1918, pp. 302–307 ( [3] )

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Oldfield Thomas: Description of a new genus and two new species of Insectivora from Madagascar. Journal of the Linnean Society of London 16, 1882, pp. 319–322 ( [1] )
  2. ↑ a b c d e Oldfield Thomas: On the arrangement of the small Tenrecidae hitherto referred to Oryzorictes and Microgale. Annals and magazine of natural history 14, 1918, pp. 302-307
  3. ↑ a b c d e f 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
  4. ↑ a b c d R. DE MacPhee: The Shrew Tenrecs of Madagascar: Systematic Revision and Holocene Distribution of Microgale (Tenrecidae, Insectivora). American Museum Novitates 2889, 1987, pp. 1-45
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g Link E. Olson, Steven M. Goodman and Anne D. Yoder: Illumination of cryptic species boundaries in long-tailed shrew tenrecs (Mammalia: Tenrecidae; Microgale), with new insights into geographic variation and distributional constraints. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 83, 2004, pp. 1-22
  6. ↑ 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. 170) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4
  7. ^ 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
  8. ↑ 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
  9. ↑ 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
  10. ↑ 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
  11. ↑ 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
  12. ↑ Toky M. Randriamoria, Voahangy Soarimalala and Steven M. Goodman: Terrestrial “forest-dwelling” endemic small mammals captured outside of natural habitats in the Moramanga District, central eastern Madagascar. Malagasy Nature 9, 2015, pp. 97-106
  13. ↑ a b c P. J. Stephenson, Voahangy Soarimalala and Steven M. Goodman: Microgale majori. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. e.T62016A97200480 ( [2] ); last accessed on September 11, 2016
  14. ↑ 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
  15. ↑ Steven M. Goodman, H. Rico Randrenjarison Andriniaina, Voahangy Soarimalala and Jean-Claude Beaucournu: The Fleas of Endemic and Introduced Small Mammals in Central Highland Forests of Madagascar: Faunistics, Species Diversity, and Absence of Host Specificity. Journal of Medical Entomology 52 (5), 2015, pp. 1135-1143
  16. ↑ Malala N. Rakotomanga, Steven M. Goodman, Voahangy Soarimalala, Sebastien Boyer and Dmitry Apanaskevich: Les tiques dures (Acari: Ixodidae) ectoparasites de micromammifères non-volants dans la forêt d'Ambohitantely, Madagascar. Malagasy Nature 12, 2017, pp. 59-67
  17. ↑ a b c d 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
  18. ^ JF Eisenberg and Edwin Gould: The Tenrecs: A Study in Mammalian Behavior and Evolution. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1970, pp. 1-138
  19. ↑ Kathleen M. Muldoon, Donald D. de Blieux, Elwyn L. Simons and Prithijit S. Chatrath: The Subfossil Occurrence and Paleoecological Significance of Small Mammals at Ankilitelo Cave, Southwestern Madagascar. Journal of Mammalogy 90 (5), 2009, pp. 1111-1131
  20. ↑ Steven M. Goodman and William L. Jungers: Extinct Madagascar. Picturing the island's past. University of Chicago Press, 2014, pp. 1–206 (pp. 94–101)
  21. ^ TCS Morrison-Scott: The Insectivorous Genera Microgale and Nesogale (Madagascar). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 118, 1948, pp. 817-822
  22. ^ Henri Heim de Balsac: Insectivores. In: R. Battistini and G. Richard-Vindard (eds.): Biogeography and ecology in Madagascar. The Hague, 1972, pp. 629-660
  23. ↑ Steven M. Goodman and Paulina D. Jenkins: The Insectivores of the Réserve Spéciale d'Anjanaharibe-Sud, Madagascar. Fieldiana Zoology 90, 1998, pp. 139-161
  24. ↑ C. Gilbert, SM Goodman, V. Soarimalala, LE Olson, PCM O'Brien, FFB Elder, F. Yang, MA Ferguson-Smith and TJ Robinson: Chromosomal evolution in tenrecs (Microgale and Oryzorictes, Tenrecidae) from the Central Highlands of Madagascar. Chromosome Research 15, 2007, pp. 1075-1091

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