Lynx lynx (Photo: Ralph Schmode)
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Magnordo: Epitheria
Superordo: Afrotheria
Cladus: Afroinsectiphilia
Cladus: Afroinsectivora
Ordo: Macroscelidea
Familia: Macroscelididae
Subfamilia: Macroscelidinae
Tribus: Macroscelidini
Genus: Macroscelides
Species: Macroscelides proboscideus
Subspecies: M. p. flavicaudatus – M. p. proboscideus
Name
Macroscelides proboscideus (Shaw, 1800)
Type locality: South Africa, Western Cape Province, Oudtshoorn Div., Roodeval
Synonyms
Macroscelides typus A. Smith, 1829
Sorex proboscideus Shaw, 1800
References
Macroscelides proboscideus in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
Gen. Zool. Syst. Nat. Hist. 1(2), Mammalia, p. 536.
Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D.M. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. 2 volumes. 2142 pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. Reference page.
Vernacular names
Ελληνικά: Κουφή Ελεφαντομέγαιρα
English: Short-eared Elephant Shrew, Round-eared Elephant Shrew
suomi: Lyhytkorvahyppypäästäinen
polski: Ryjoskoczek krótkouchy
svenska: Kortörad elefantnäbbmus
The round-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus) or round-eared sengi (called the Karoo round-eared elephant shrew to distinguish it from its sister species;[2] formerly misleadingly named the "short-eared elephant shrew"),[3] is a species of elephant shrew (sengi) in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and grassland, and hot deserts.[1] They eat insects, shoots, and roots. Their gestation period is 56 days.[4]
Elephant shrews are among only a handful of monogamous mammals, making them a model group for the study of monogamy. They have been studied for their mate guarding behavior.[5] Mate guarding is considered a predominant male trait in round-eared elephant shrews. This strategy is used to guard the female before and after heat to eliminate male competition, which makes male round-eared elephant shrews monogamous and more vulnerable to their surroundings as they spent a majority of their time dedicated to this tactic. [6]
Research was recently conducted to determine that elephant shrews are thought to have dichromatic color vision due to their ability to differentiate between blue/green colors and grey. However, there is no evidence to prove that the species can see red colors. [7]
Round-eared elephant shrew, as described by Robert Jacob Gordon in 1779 or 1780.
Round-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus), as described by Robert Jacob Gordon in 1779–1780.
Habitat
The round-eared elephant shrew are native to Southeast Africa where the temperature ranges from 18°C to 6°C in the winter and 30°C to 22°C during the summer.
Foraging and diet
Round-eared elephant shrews are omnivores with their diet mainly consisting of insects and supplemented with plants. During the winter, this species consumes less insects than they do during the summer due to a decrease in the insect population.
Reproduction and life cycles
The round-eared elephant shrew does not reproduce during the winter.
References
Rathbun, G.B.; Smit-Robinson, H. (2015). "Macroscelides proboscideus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T45369602A45435551. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T45369602A45435551.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
Dumbacher, J. P.; Rathbun, G. B.; Smit, H. A.; Eiseb, S. J. (2012). Steinke, Dirk (ed.). "Phylogeny and Taxonomy of the Round-Eared Sengis or Elephant-Shrews, Genus Macroscelides (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Macroscelidea)". PLOS ONE. 7 (3): e32410. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...732410D. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032410. PMC 3314003. PMID 22479325.
Rathbun, G. H. (2005). "Order Macroscelidea". In Skinner, J. D.; Chimimba, C. T. (eds.). The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region. Cambridge University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0521844185.
California Academy of Sciences. Elephant-shrews or Sengis: Macroscelidea. "Elephant-Shrews". Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
Bernard, R. T. F., G. I. H. Kerley, T. Doubell and A. Davison 1996. Reproduction in the round-eared elephant shrew (Macroscelides proboscideus) in the southern Karoo, South Africa. Journal of Zoology, London, 240 233-243.
Schubert, Melanie; Schradin, Carsten; Rödel, Heiko G.; Pillay, Neville; Ribble, David O. (2009-12-01). "Male mate guarding in a socially monogamous mammal, the round-eared sengi: on costs and trade-offs". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 64 (2): 257–264. doi:10.1007/s00265-009-0842-2. ISSN 1432-0762. S2CID 44029280.
Thus, Patricia (16 Sep 2020). "Colour vision in sengis (Macroscelidea, Afrotheria, Mammalia): choice experiments indicate dichromatism". Behaviour. 157 (14–15): 1127–1151. doi:10.1163/1568539x-bja10039. S2CID 224945580. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
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