Potamogalinae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Potamogalinae | |
|---|---|
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| Giant Otter Shrew (Potamogale velox) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Afrosoricida |
| Family: | Tenrecidae |
| Subfamily: | Potamogalinae Allmann, 1865 |
| Genera | |
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Micropotamogale | |
Potamogalinae is the subfamily of "otter shrews", a group of semiaquatic riverine mammals in the family Tenrecidae indigenous to Subsaharan Africa. All otter shrews are carnivorous, preying on any aquatic animal they can find with their sensitive whiskers. As their common name suggests, they bear a strong, but superficial resemblance to true otters. They move through the water by undulating their tail in a side-to-side motion similar to the motions made by a crocodile swimming.
Species
Three species of otter shrew are recognized.
- Dwarf otter shrews, genus Micropotamogale
- Nimba Otter Shrew (Micropotamogale lamottei)
- Ruwenzori Otter Shrew (Micropotamogale ruwenzorii)
- Giant Otter Shrew, genus Potamogale
- Giant Otter Shrew (Potamogale velox)
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