Micropotamogale

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Micropotamogale[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Afrosoricida
Family: Tenrecidae
Subfamily: Potamogalinae
Genus: Micropotamogale
Balsac, 1954
Species
  • Micropotamogale ruwenzorii
  • Micropotamogale lamottei

Micropotamogale is a genus of small, otter-like tenrecs native to riverine habitats of West African rainforests. They feed on aquatic animals and insects they can find and capture.

Two species are recognized:

  • Ruwenzori Otter Shrew (Micropotamogale ruwenzorii)
  • Nimba Otter Shrew (Micropotamogale lamottei)

Conservation

The Ruwenzori Otter Shrew is considered Near Threatened, while the Nimba Otter Shrew is Endangered by the IUCN.


References

  1. Bronner, G. N.; Jenkins, P. D. (2005). "Order Afrosoricida". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 75–76. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.