The Zoochat Photographic Guide to the Afrotheria

I'm given to understand that the original import came from northern Tanzania, so I'm hard pushed to think of what they might be if they aren't Southern Tree Hyrax! Certainly don't look like Rock or Bush.

 

That is indeed the increasing status quo as I implied, but as noted in my post the matter is still under some debate - so as with other taxa where things are yet to be fully resolved, I'm listing things as broadly as possible to ensure nothing is omitted.

 

AFROINSECTIPHILIA



This clade comprises three extant orders and a total of five extant families, as follows:


AFROSORICIDA

TENRECIDAE - Tenrecs (8 genera, 31 species)
POTAMOGALIDIDAE - Otter-shrews (2 genera, 3 species)
CHRYSOCHLORIDAE - Golden Moles (10 genera, 21 species)


MACROSCELIDEA

MACROSCELIDIDAE - Sengis (5 genera, 20 species)


TUBILIDENTATA

ORYCTEROPODIDAE - Aardvarks (1 genus, 1 species)

 

TENRECIDAE


This family comprises eight extant genera:

Echinops - Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (1 species)

Setifer - Greater Hedgehog Tenrec (1 species)

Tenrec - Tailless Tenrec (1 species)

Hemicentetes - Streaked Tenrecs (2 species)

Geogale - Large-eared Tenrec (1 species)

Oryzorictes - Rice Tenrecs (2 species)

Nesogale - Greater Shrew Tenrecs (2 species)

Microgale - Lesser Shrew Tenrecs (21 species)

 

Echinops


Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec (Echinops telfairi)

The range of this species extends throughout western, southwestern and southern Madagascar, mainly south of Tsiribihina River.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Tim May

 

Setifer


Greater Hedgehog Tenrec (Setifer setosus)

The range of this species extends patchily throughout Madagascar.

Monotypic.

Photo by @stubeanz

 

Tenrec


Tailless Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus)

The range of this species extends patchily throughout Madagascar, with introduced populations present on Reunion, Mauritus and the Seychelles, and possibly the Comoros Islands.

Monotypic.

Photo by @gentle lemur

 

Hemicentetes


Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus)

The range of this species extends throughout the Northern and Central Highlands, and eastern lowlands, of Madagascar.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Newzooboy




Highland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes nigriceps)

The range of this species is restricted to the eastern edge of the Central Highlands of Madagascar.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Newzooboy

 

Geogale


Large-eared Tenrec (Geogale aurita)

The range of this species extends throughout western, southwestern and southern Madagascar, mainly south of Tsiribihina River; isolated records in the Central Highlands and eastern lowlands require substantiation.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.

 

Oryzorictes


Mole-like Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes hova)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Currently regarded as monotypic; however, 2018 studies on mitochondrial and craniometric data suggest this taxon may represent three distinct species in the north, central and southern portions of its range respectively.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Four-toed Rice Tenrec (Oryzorictes tetradactylus)

The range of this species is restricted to small disjunct populations in the Central Highlands and Andringitra National Park of Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.

 

Nesogale


Dobson's Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale dobsoni)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Talzac's Shrew Tenrec (Nesogale talazaci)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.

 

If it's any consolation the two streaked species continue to evade me!

 

You have seen the photo used above of the Tailless Tenrec, right? It looks like something from The Dark Crystal. You should be grateful it has evaded you.

 

Microgale


Short-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale brevicaudata)

The range of this species extends from the Northern Highlands of Madagascar, southwest to the west-central coastline.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Cowan's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale cowani)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Currently regarded as monotypic; however, taxonomy may require examination for the presence of cryptic taxa.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Drouhard's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale drouhardi)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Dryad Shrew Tenrec (Microgale dryas)

The range of this species is restricted to disjunct populations in Anjanharibe-Sud Special Reserve, Makira Plateau, Marotandrano Reserve and Ambatovaky Special Reserve in northeast and eastern Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Pale Shrew Tenrec (Microgale fotsifotsy)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Gracile Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gracilis)

The range of this species extends patchily throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Grandidier's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale grandidieri)

The range of this species extends patchily throughout western Madagascar, from the Namoroka Massif south to the Onilahy River.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Naked-nosed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale gymnorhyncha)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Jenkins' Shrew Tenrec (Microgale jenkinsae)

Endemic to the Mikea forest of southwest Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Northern Shrew Tenrec (Microgale jobihely)

Known only from two sites on the southwest slope of the Tsaratanana Massif in northwest Madagascar, and the Analamay and Ambatoby forests of eastern Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale longicaudata)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Currently regarded as monotypic; however, mtDNA analysis indicates the presence of several cryptic taxa within this species.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Major's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale majori)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast, and extending into western and southwestern Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Web-footed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale mergulus)

The range of this species comprises patchy and disjunct populations throughout the Central Highlands and eastern lowlands of Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Montane Shrew Tenrec (Microgale monticola)

The range of this species is restricted to Marojejy and Anjanharibe-Sud in the Northern Highlands of Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Nasolo's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale nasoloi)

The range of this species is restricted to patchy and disjunct populations in western and southwest Madagascar.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Pygmy Shrew Tenrec (Microgale parvula)

The range of this species throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Greater Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale principula)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Least Shrew Tenrec (Microgale pusilla)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Shrew-toothed Shrew Tenrec (Microgale soricoides)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Taiva Shrew Tenrec (Microgale taiva)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Northern Highlands through the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Thomas's Shrew Tenrec (Microgale thomasi)

The range of this species extends throughout eastern Madagascar, from the Central Highlands to the lowlands of the southeast, and patchily through the Northern Highlands.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.

 

POTAMOGALIDAE


This family comprises two extant genera:

Micropotamogale - Otter-shrews (2 species)

Potamogale - Giant Otter-shrew (1 species)

 

Micropotamogale


Nimba Otter-shrew (Micropotamogale lamottei)

Endemic to the Upper Guinea rainforest zone, with distribution centred on Mt Nimba.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.


Rwenzori Otter-shrew (Micropotamogale ruwenzorii)

Endemic to the Albertine Rift, including eastern DRC, western Uganda and southwest Rwanda.

Monotypic.

No photographs of this species are present in the Zoochat gallery.