Northern shrewfish
| Northern shrewfish | ||||||||||||
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Northern pointed squirrel ( Tupaia belangeri ) |
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| Tupaia belangeri | ||||||||||||
| ( Wagner , 1841) |
The northern shrews or Belangers Tupaja ( Tupaia belangeri ) is a species of mammal from the family of shrews (Tupaiidae). It is one of the best-known and, due to its long-term laboratory attitude, one of the best-researched representatives of this group, along with the common shrews ( Tupaia glis ).
In the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN, the northern pointed squirrel is listed as Least Concern .
features
With a head body length of 16 to 18 centimeters, a tail length of 15 to 19 centimeters and a weight of 110 to 185 grams, the northern shrewfish belongs to the medium to large representatives of the shrews. The fur is colored olive brown to light brown and stands out in the area of the shoulders by the vertical drawing. The tail is covered with long hair, which makes it look flattened by the hairline that tends to the side. The head appears pointed and is characterized by the small ears and the moist nose . Orientation and social organization are heavily dependent on olfactory perception and are evident through the well-developed sense of smell and the presence of the Jacobson organ . The feet each have five toes that cannot be placed opposite the thumb - the sharp claws, however, allow easy climbing. Nevertheless, the animals prefer horizontal and vertical planes and can often be observed on the ground.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area extends from northeast India and southern China to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Habitats are tropical and subtropical forests up to a height of 3000 m above sea level.
Way of life
Although northern shrews are considered to be arboreal, they often stay on the ground. They are diurnal and retreat into tree hollows or doze freely while resting. In their social organization, males in particular show territoriality towards conspecifics, whereby they often form monogamous relationships and male territories can overlap several female territories. There is social contact between male and female animals, which manifests itself in mutual licking of the fur ( grooming ). The individual areas are between 500 and 8000 m² in size, depending on the food supply. Areas are marked with urine and secretions from their sternally located glands. The animals produce a large number of different sound types between 0.4 and 20 kHz, which demonstrate different behavior patterns or rankings. Males produce five different pairing sounds, which can be distinguished by their call sequence.
food
The diet of northern shrews consists of insects and smaller vertebrates, as well as plant elements such as fruits. Unless it is simply put in the mouth, food is grasped with both front paws and eaten while sitting.
Reproduction
The natural mating season is between March and August. The females have a ten-day estrus. After the female has made a choice of mate, mating occurs several times. Females build well-padded nests and give birth to one to four young animals after a gestation period of 41 to 45 days. The average birth weight is around 13-14 grams. The young animals are visited and suckled by the mother about every two days. This is only possible because the milk has a very high fat content (around 25%) and is consumed in large quantities. The first solid food is eaten around 30 days, at which time the mother visits the nest at shorter intervals. Sexual maturity is reached at 3–4 months.
The life expectancy of northern shrews in the wild is around two to three years, whereas in captivity it is significantly higher at around twelve to 14 years.
Threat and Conservation
Due to the large distribution area and the adaptability of the settlement in areas inhabited by humans, the northern shrewfish is not considered to be threatened.
Tupaia belangeri is listed in Appendix II of the Washington Convention on Endangered Species .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tupaia belangeri in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: Han, KH, Duckworth, JW & Molur, S., 2008. Accessed September 2 2012th
- ↑ Professor Paul's Nature Encyclopedia, Volume 1: Tupaiidae; Tree Shrews ( Memento of November 29, 2012 in the web archive archive.today )
- ^ Binz, H. & E. Zimmermann: The vocal repertoire of adult tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) . Behavior 109, 1998. pp. 142-162.
- ↑ Hertenstein, B., E. Zimmermann, & H. Rahmann: On the reproduction and ontogenetic development of shrews (Tupaia Belangeri) . Z. Kölner Zoo 30. 1987. pp. 119-133
- ↑ Richard Weigl: Longevity of Mammals in Captivity; from the Living Collections of the World . Kleine Senckenberg-Reihe 48, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-510-61379-1 .
- ↑ Tupaia belangeri on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010. Listed by: Han, KH, Duckworth, JW & Molur, S., 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2012
literature
- Andrew T. Smith, Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China , Princeton University Press, Princeton 2008. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 : p. 158