Black and red elephant shrew
Black and rufous elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon petersi)

Macroscelidea is an order of small mammals. Members of this order are called macroscelids, or elephant shrews. They are exclusively found in Africa, in a variety of biomes from forests to deserts. They range in size from the Etendeka round-eared sengi, at 8 cm (3 in) plus a 8 cm (3 in) tail, to the grey-faced sengi, at 32 cm (13 in) plus a 26 cm (10 in) tail, and generally eat insects, other invertebrates, and plants. The only macroscelid species with an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) population estimate is the golden-rumped elephant shrew, listed as endangered with a population of around 13,000.

The nineteen extant species of Macroscelidea are grouped into a single family, Macroscelididae, and are split between six genera. Dozens of extinct macroscelid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.[1]

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories
Conservation status
 EX Extinct (0 species)
 EW Extinct in the wild (0 species)
 CR Critically Endangered (0 species)
 EN Endangered (1 species)
 VU Vulnerable (1 species)
 NT Near threatened (0 species)
 LC Least concern (13 species)
Other categories
 DD Data deficient (4 species)
 NE Not evaluated (0 species)

Conservation status codes listed follow the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the macroscelid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "".

Classification

The order Macroscelidea consists of a single family, Macroscelididae, which contains twenty species divided into six genera. Many of these species are further subdivided into subspecies. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.[2]

Family Macroscelididae

  • Genus Elephantulus (round-eared elephant shrews): eight species
  • Genus Galegeeska (Horn of Africa elephant shrews): two species
  • Genus Macroscelides (long-eared elephant shrews): three species
  • Genus Petrodromus (four-toed elephant shrew): one species
  • Genus Petrosaltator (North African elephant shrew): one species
  • Genus Rhynchocyon (checkered elephant shrews): four species
Macroscelididae  

Rhynchocyon

Galegeeska

Petrosaltator

Petrodromus

Macroscelides

Elephantulus

Macroscelids

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis.[3]

Genus ElephantulusThomas, 1906 – eight species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Bushveld elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

E. intufi
(Smith, 1836)
Southern Africa
Map of range
Size: 20–28 cm (8–11 in) long, plus 9–15 cm (4–6 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, and grassland[5]

Diet: Ants, termites, and other small invertebrates, as well as plants[4]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[5]

Cape elephant shrew

Drawing of gray elephant shrew

E. edwardii
(Smith, 1839)
Southern South Africa
Map of range
Size: 10–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 11–15 cm (4–6 in) tail[6]

Habitat: Shrubland and rocky areas[7]

Diet: Ants and termites, as well as other invertebrates[6]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[7]

Dusky elephant shrew

Drawing of gray elephant shrew

E. fuscus
(Peters, 1852)
Southern Africa
Map of range
Size: 10–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 8–12 cm (3–5 in) tail[8]

Habitat: Savanna and shrubland[9]

Diet: Believed to be invertebrates[10]
 DD 


Unknown Unknown[9]

Dusky-footed elephant shrew E. fuscipes
(Thomas, 1894)
Central Africa
Map of range
Size: 12–15 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 8–10 cm (3–4 in) tail[11]

Habitat: Savanna[12]

Diet: Believed to be invertebrates[10]
 DD 


Unknown Unknown[12]

Eastern rock elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

E. myurus
Thomas, Schwann, 1906
Southern Africa
Map of range
Size: 20–29 cm (8–11 in) long, plus 20–29 cm (8–11 in) tail[13]

Habitat: Savanna, grassland, and rocky areas[14]

Diet: Ants, termites, and other invertebrates, as well as plants[13]
 LC 


Unknown Population steady[14]

Karoo rock elephant shrew E. pilicaudus
Smit, Robinson, Watson, van Vuuren, 2008
Western South Africa
Map of range
Size: 11–12 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 11–15 cm (4–6 in) tail[15]

Habitat: Shrubland and rocky areas[16]

Diet: Invertebrates[15]
 DD 


Unknown Unknown[16]

Short-snouted elephant shrew

Drawing of brown elephant shrew

E. brachyrhynchus
(Smith, 1836)
Southern and southeastern Africa
Map of range
Size: 11–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 8–11 cm (3–4 in) tail[17]

Habitat: Savanna and grassland[18]

Diet: Ants and termites, as well as small amounts of plants, fruit, and seeds[19]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[18]

Western rock elephant shrew

Drawing of brown elephant shrew

E. rupestris
(Smith, 1831)
Southern Africa
Map of range
Size: 11–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 12–17 cm (5–7 in) tail[20]

Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, and rocky areas[21]

Diet: Invertebrates[20]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[21]

Genus GalegeeskaHeritage, Rayaleh, 2020 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Somali elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

G. revoili
(Huet, 1881)
Horn of Africa Size: 12–15 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 12–16 cm (5–6 in) tail[22]

Habitat: Savanna and shrubland[23]

Diet: Invertebrates as well as plants[22]
 DD 


Unknown Unknown[23]

Rufous elephant shrew

Drawing of brown elephant shrew

G. rufescens
(Peters, 1878)

Six subspecies
  • G. r. boranus
  • G. r. dundasi
  • G. r. peasei
  • G. r. pulcher
  • G. r. rufescens
  • G. r. somalicus
Eastern Africa
Map of range
Size: 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long, plus 11–17 cm (4–7 in) tail[24]

Habitat: Savanna and grassland[25]

Diet: Termites and ants, as well as shoots, berries and roots[26]
 LC 


Unknown Population steady[25]

Genus MacroscelidesSmith, 1829 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Etendeka round-eared sengi

Brown elephant shrew

M. micus
Dumbacher, Rathbun, 2014
Northwestern Namibia
Map of range
Size: 8–10 cm (3–4 in) long, plus 8–10 cm (3–4 in) tail[27]

Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, and desert[28]

Diet: Invertebrates[29]
 LC 


Unknown Population steady[28]

Namib round-eared sengi

Brown elephant shrew

M. flavicaudatus
Lundholm, 1955
Namibia Size: 10–12 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 9–14 cm (4–6 in) tail[27][30]

Habitat: Shrubland and desert[31]

Diet: Omnivorous, primarily invertebrates[30]
 LC 


Unknown Population steady[31]

Round-eared elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

M. proboscideus
(Shaw, 1800)
Southern Africa
Map of range
Size: 10–11 cm (4–4 in) long, plus 9–13 cm (4–5 in) tail[32]

Habitat: Shrubland and desert[33]

Diet: Termites, ants, and other small invertebrates, as well as plants[32]
 LC 


Unknown Population steady[33]

Genus PetrodromusPeters, 1846 – one species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Four-toed elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

P. tetradactylus
Peters, 1846

Nine subspecies
  • P. t. beirae
  • P. t. rovumae
  • P. t. schwanni
  • P. t. sultani
  • P. t. swynnertoni
  • P. t. tetradactylus
  • P. t. tordayi
  • P. t. warreni
  • P. t. zanzibaricus
Central and southeastern Africa
Map of range
Size: 19–23 cm (7–9 in) long, plus 15–17 cm (6–7 in) tail[34]

Habitat: Forest, savanna, and shrubland[35]

Diet: Termites, ants, and other small invertebrates, as well as plants[34]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[35]

Genus PetrosaltatorRathbun, Dumbacher, 2016 – one species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
North African elephant shrew

Brown elephant shrew

P. rozeti
(Duvernoy, 1833)

Two subspecies
  • P. r. deserti
  • P. r. rozeti
Northwestern Africa
Map of range
Size: 11–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 13–16 cm (5–6 in) tail[36]

Habitat: Shrubland, rocky areas, and desert[37]

Diet: Believed to be ants, termites, and other invertebrates, as well as plants[36]
 LC 


Unknown Unknown[37]

Genus RhynchocyonPeters, 1847 – four species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Black and rufous elephant shrew

Black and red elephant shrew

R. petersi
Bocage, 1880

Two subspecies
  • R. p. adersi
  • R. p. petersi
Eastern Africa
Map of range
Size: 25–31 cm (10–12 in) long, plus 25 cm (10 in) tail[38]

Habitat: Forest and shrubland[39]

Diet: Omnivorous; primarily ants, termites, and other invertebrates[38]
 LC 


Unknown Population declining[39]

Checkered elephant shrew

Stuffed brown elephant shrew

R. cirnei
Peters, 1847

Six subspecies
  • R. c. cirnei
  • R. c. hendersoni
  • R. c. macrurus
  • R. c. reichardi
  • R. c. shirensis
  • R. c. stuhlmanni
Central and southeastern Africa
Map of range
Size: 22–31 cm (9–12 in) long, plus 17–26 cm (7–10 in) tail[40]

Habitat: Forest and shrubland[41]

Diet: Invertebrates, as well as small mammals, amphibians, mollusks, birds, and bird eggs[40]
 LC 


Unknown Population declining[41]

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

Drawing of brown and red elephant shrew

R. chrysopygus
Günther, 1881
Eastern Kenya
Map of range
Size: 21–31 cm (8–12 in) long, plus 21–27 cm (8–11 in) tail[42]

Habitat: Forest and shrubland[43]

Diet: Wide variety of invertebrates[44]
 EN 


13,000 Population declining[43]

Grey-faced sengi

Brown and gray elephant shrew

R. udzungwensis
Rovero, Rathbun, 2008
Central Tanzania
Map of range
Size: 29–32 cm (11–13 in) long, plus 23–26 cm (9–10 in) tail[45]

Habitat: Forest[46]

Diet: Unknown[45]
 VU 


Unknown Unknown[46]

References

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Sources

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