Microgale longicaudata

Geographic Range

Microgale longicaudata is endemic to Madagascar. This species is specifically located in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country, ranging from the Parc National de la Montange d' Ambre at 12 degrees South to the Parc National d'Andonhahela at 25 degrees South.

• Biogeographic Regions
• ethiopian ethiopian
  • native native

• Other Geographic Terms
• island endemic island endemic

Habitat

Long-tailed tenrecs, M.longicaudata , are terrestrial mammals with a preference for areas of dense vegetation. They can be found in various habitats located across Madagascar, including Eastern humid forest, Central highlands, the mountainous Northern highlands, Sambirano lowland forest, Western deciduous dry forest, and the isolated humid forest of Montange d' Ambre. They inhabit elevations of from 440 m above sea level to 1990 m.

• Habitat Regions
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest forest
• rainforest rainforest
• mountains mountains

Physical Description

M. longicaudata is small, weighing only 5 to 12 g, and measuring 75 to 158 mm in total length. Like other members of the genus, M. longicaudata has an exceeding long, prehensile tail. The tail is usually is 1.5 to 2.6 times the length of the body. The tail is composed of 47 vertebrae, which is more than any other mammal besides the pangolins. The tail is used by these animals in their climbing and richocheting locomotion. To aid in their semi-arboreal and scansorial lifestyle, M. longicaudata also possess elongated hindfeet and digits.

Although data on this particular species are lacking, the genus Microgale is known to possess coats composed of a soft dark brown to black fur on the back with a gray or lead colored belly.

Since the testes, which have a volume of 50 mm^3, are found in the abdominal area and do not descend into a scrotum, there is very little to rely on for external physical cues to determine sex. Males and females are almost indistinguishable from one another.

The animals are very much like shews, except they have ears are conspicuous, and project above the fur. Their dental formula is 3/3 1/1 3/3 3/3.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

Reproduction

Although not much is known about the mating system of M. longicaudata , some information is available for their relatives. The mating system apparently varies across the genus: M. dobsoni males are known to pair up with a female only during the breeding season, whereas M. talazaci males may establish a more permanent male/female relationship. Mating may be polygynous or monogamous.

• Mating System
• monogamous monogamous
• polygynous polygynous

Information on the reproductive behaviors of M. longicaudata is not available. However, some data exist for other species in the genus. One congener, M. dobsoni , has a spring and summer breeding season, although another congener, M. talazaci is known to have a breeding season that is 1 to 2 months longer. Parturition in members of the genus Microgale occurs from late November through early December with the start of the rainy season. These animals become sexually mature before their adult dentition is present and have 6 to 8 mammae. They are known to have a maximum litter size of 2 offspring.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

Details on the parental care of these animals are lacking. However, as mammals, we know that females provide their young with milk, grooming, and protection during the early part of their lives. The role of males in parental care of these animals is not known.

• Parental Investment
• no parental involvement
• female parental care female parental care
• pre-fertilization
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Information is unknown.

Behavior

Members of the genus Microgale are known to be solitary in nature. M. longicaudata has a nocturnal activity pattern and resembles a shrew in terms of lifestyle. It uses its hind limbs and elongated prehensile tail for climbing and richochetting among tree branches in forest habitats.

• Key Behaviors
• arboreal arboreal
• scansorial
• nocturnal nocturnal
• motile motile
• solitary solitary

Home Range

Home range size for these animals is unknown.

Communication and Perception

With reduced eye size, visual cues are not thought to be very important to these animals. Microgale relies mainly on tactile, chemical, and auditory communication.

Vocal communication ranges from a soft squeak to a trill. Wails are associated with submissive behavior. Squeaks are used when animals are in a defensive mode, and a buzzing is often produced during attacks.

Tactile communication includes nose to nose contact, nose to ear, nose to genital region, as well as full body rubbing.

Chemical communication may be involved in the practice of saliva spreading, which has been observed in tenrecs. Although there is little research on chemical communication in these animals, it is thought that chemical signals are also involved when the Microgale touches its nose to glandular areas on its body, such as the ear, forehead, or cloaca.

• Communication Channels
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Members of the genus Microgale are known to be insectivorous. Specifically, M. longicaudata is known to consume various invertebrates including Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (bees, wasps,and ants), Orthoptera (grasshoppers), Arachnida (spiders and ticks), and Amphipoda (flat bodied crustaceans).

• Primary Diet
• carnivore carnivore
  • insectivore insectivore

• Animal Foods
• insects
• terrestrial non-insect arthropods
• aquatic crustaceans

Predation

Although specific information for M. longicaudata is not available, members of the genus Microgale fall prey to large reptiles, birds, and mammals. M. taiva is known to occasionally consume congeners M. longicaudata , M. principula , and M. cawani . However, there were only seven instances of this cannibalism, which occurred in pitfall trapping and may have resulted from the absence of an escape, rather than the true nature of M. taiva .

Ecosystem Roles

M. longicaudata acts as both prey and predator in its ecosystem, although any influential role is either not present or remains undiscovered at this time. M. longicaudata is known to serve as host for several parasites, including Eimeria , Babesia (a vertebrate blood cell parasite), L.(M.) calcaratua , L.(A.) papillosus , and L.(M.) uniformis .

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

No economic importance for this species has been documented.

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

No economic importance has been documented for these animals.

Conservation Status

These animals are not known to be a conservation concern. Although not evaluated, it is likely that they are somewhat vulnerable to habitat loss, as are many other animals in Madagascar.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Nancy Shefferly (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

sarah stevens (author), Michigan State University, Barbara Lundrigan (editor, instructor), Michigan State University.

References

Eisenberg, J., E. Gould. 1970. The Tenrecs: A Study in Mammalian Behavior and Evolution . City of Washington: Smithsonian Institution.

Goodman, S., J. Benstead. 2003. The Natural History of Madagascar . Chicago, IL and London: University of Chicago.

Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the Worls, Sixth Edition . Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.