Malagasy otter shrew, Aquatic tenrec
The web-footed tenrec, Malagasy otter shrew, or aquatic tenrec (Microgale mergulus ) is the only known semiaquatic tenrec (the related African otter shrews have similar habits), and is found in eastern Madagascar, especially in and around Ranomafana National Park. It grows to between 25 and 39 cm, and was once thought to be extinct. It feeds on crabs, aquatic insects, and crayfish. The population is considered vulnerable. It was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Limnogale, but has been moved to Microgale based on molecular data showing it to be deeply nested within the latter.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Semiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Microgale mergulus is strictly nocturnal, spending the day in stream side burrows, only emerging at night to hunt. Nocturnal movements appear to be restricted to waterways but include movements away from burrows and diving. Radio collar tracking has shown that some individuals are known to utilize stream channels as much as 1160 meters in length, while others may only patrol 500 meters. In one night a web-footed tenrec may travel 1550 meters along channels in search of food.
M. mergulus is only known to inhabit stream habitats in eastern Madagascar. While it is no longer classified in the obsolete order of Insectivora, M. mergulus could very well be designated an insectivore. The bulk of its diet consists of aquatic insects and larvae, with crustaceans and small fish making up the rest. The larvae of insects in the orders Ephemeroptera, Odonata and Trichoptera are favored. Diets of individuals inhabiting zero-canopy steams appear to be the same as those living in forested streams.
The aquatic tenrec is currently ranked by the IUCN as Vulnerable on the Red List. Due to their specialized habitat requirements and restriction to the island of Madagascar, it is estimated that less than 2,000 km2 of suitable habitat remains. Degradation of riparian ecosystems and siltation of streams are the leading threat to the species’. Deforestation is also recognized as a potential cause of decline. However, recent studies have shown healthy populations of M. mergulus in streams where forest has been cleared or otherwise degraded, as well as non-native plantations. Areas of its habitat which are currently protected include Ranomafana National Park and the Andringitra National Park (1989) and it is also reported in the new Nosy Volo Reserve in the east (2014).
Within afrotherian mammals, Microgale mergulus is typically considered for highest priority conservation priority along with the giant otter shrew, giant golden mole, northern shrew tenrec and Nimba otter shrew, as well as some better-known conservation symbols like the dugong, Asian elephant, and three species of manatees. This priority has been analyzed using two different methods, including phylogenetic diversity (PD) and evolutionary distinctiveness (ED).
