Ruwenzori shrew

Ruwenzori shrew
Systematics
Superordinate :	Laurasiatheria
Order :	Insect eater (Eulipotyphla)
Family :	Shrews (Soricidae)
Subfamily :	Crocidurinae
Genre :	Ruwenzorisorex
Type :	Ruwenzori shrew
Scientific name of the genus
	Ruwenzorisorex
	Hutterer , 1986
Scientific name of the species
	Ruwenzorisorex suncoides
	( Osgood , 1936)

The Ruwenzori shrew ( Ruwenzorisorex suncoides ) is a species of shrew that lives in central Africa .

Ruwenzori shrews have a stocky body compared to other shrews, the rather short tail is almost hairless and the fur is black. These animals reach a head body length of 92 to 95 millimeters, which is also a 55 to 62 millimeter long tail, and a weight of around 18 grams.

These animals inhabit the Rwenzori Mountains and adjacent regions in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo , Uganda , Rwanda and Burundi . Their habitat are rainforests at altitudes between 800 and 2100 meters.

Little is known about the way of life of these shrews. They are likely to be ground dwellers and feed on mollusks and insects .

The Ruwenzori shrew is more frequent than other African shrews in the water and visits clear streams that can be up to 20 cm deep. In order to adapt to this way of life, it has a water-repellent coat, short ears and a lighter underside of the tail. Hands and feet but typical characteristics of aquatic mammals such as missing webbed or stiff hair combs. On each side of the upper jaw, the two outer incisors, the canine and the first premolar are similar in structure with a single point.

Before the species was recently rediscovered in Burundi, only five specimens were known to research. The IUCN lists them as endangered ( vulnerable ).

literature

Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .

Individual evidence

^ Julian C. Kerbis Peterhans: Ruwenzorisorex suncoides . In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold, Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa. Volume IV: Hedgehogs, Shrews and Bats. Bloomsbury, London 2013, ISBN 978-1-4081-2254-9 , pp. 168-169.

Web links

Ruwenzorisorex suncoides in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2006. Posted by: R. Hutterer et al., 2004. Accessed on 7.1.2007.

[Peterhans-1] Julian C. Kerbis Peterhans: Ruwenzorisorex suncoides . In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold, Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa. Volume IV: Hedgehogs, Shrews and Bats. Bloomsbury, London 2013, ISBN 978-1-4081-2254-9 , pp. 168-169.