North African elephant shrew

The North African elephant shrew (Petrosaltator rozeti) or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and (since the extinction of the North African elephant) is the only extant afrotherian within its range.[note 1] The species was formerly classified in the genus Elephantulus, but molecular evidence indicates that it is more closely related to Petrodromus than to other members of Elephantulus. It was moved to a new genus, Petrosaltator, in 2016.[4] The split with Petrodromus likely occurred during the Miocene period.[5]

North African elephant shrew[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Macroscelidea
Family: Macroscelididae
Genus: Petrosaltator
Rathbun & Dumbacher, 2016
Species:
P. rozeti
Binomial name
Petrosaltator rozeti
(Duvernoy, 1833)
North African elephant shrew range
Synonyms[3]
  • Elephantulus rozeti (Duvernoy, 1833)
  • Macroscelides rozeti Duvernoy, 1833

Description

The North African elephant-shrew is a little rodent-like in appearance, having a small body, large ears, and a long tail. It weighs around 50 grams (1.8 oz), which is very light compared to other sengis). The total length is from 24 to 38.5 cm (9.4–15.2 in), of which the tail is 13 to 16 cm (5.1–6.3 in). The fur on the upper body varies from yellowish brown to pale sandy-pink, and the fur on the underside is white. It has a long flexible snout, typical of the elephant-shrews, which can be moved in a circular fashion and the nostrils are located towards the tip of the snout, with long sensory whiskers growing at the base of the snout. The rear legs are longer than the forelimbs, an adaptation for running and jumping. North African elephant-shrews use well-developed glands, placed under the tail, for marking territory.[6] The adult specimen has 42 teeth, with a dental formula of 3.1.4.23.1.4.3.[7]

Distribution

It is present in northwestern Africa from the northern Western Sahara to western Libya.[2]

Habitat

Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and deserts.[2]

Habits

The North African sengi typically gives birth to litters of 1 to 4 young twice a year.[8]

Notes
  1. The rock hyrax is present in the Sahara in central Algeria a few hundred km away.

References
  1. Schlitter, D.A. (2005). "Order Macroscelidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. Rathbun, G.B. (2015). "Elephantulus rozeti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T42663A21289287. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  3. Corbet, G.B.; Hanks, J. (1968). "A revision of the elephant-shrews, family Macroscelididae". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology. 16: 45–111.
  4. Dumbacher, J. P.; Carlen, E. J. & Rathbun, G. B. (2016). "Petrosaltator gen. nov., a new genus replacement for the North African sengi Elephantulus rozeti (Macroscelidea; Macroscelididae)". Zootaxa. 4136 (3): 567–579. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4136.3.8. PMID 27395734.
  5. Douady, C.J.; Catzeflis, F.; Raman, J.; Springer, M.S.; Stanhope, M.J. (2003). "The Sahara as a vicariant agent, and the role of Miocene climatic events, in the diversification of the mammalian order Macroscelidea (elephant shrews)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100 (14): 8325–8330. doi:10.1073/pnas.0832467100.
  6. "Elephantulus rozeti". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  7. De Lange, D. (1949). "Communication on the attachment and the early development of Macroscelides (=Elephantulus) rozeti Duv., the North-African Jumping Shrew". Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde. 28 (1): 255–285.
  8. Séguignes, M. (1989-01-01). "Contribution à l'étude de la reproduction d'Elephantulus rozeti (Insectivora, Macroscelididae)". Mammalia. 53 (3). doi:10.1515/mamm.1989.53.3.377.
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