Elephant-Shrews

The 15 living species of elephant-shrews were once classified with other insectivores, but recent molecular and morphological studies have shown that these African mammals have no close relatives and merit their own order. Size varies considerably among elephant-shrews, ranging from the 1.5-ounce (45-g) Elephantulus rozeti to the 1-pound (0.5-kg) golden-rumped elephant-shrew Rhynchocyon chrysopygus. Recognized by their long snout and large eyes, elephant-shrews are prodigious hunters of small invertebrates, using their long forefoot claws to forage in leaf litter or soil. Their long limbs enable them to bound from predators at surprising speed. They occupy many different habitats, including open plains, savannas, deserts, thornbush and tropical forests, where they create and scrupulously maintain a network of trails along the ground within their home territory. Both sexes are believed to mark their territory with scent and sometimes feces.

The Elephant-Shrew Family Tree

order: macroscelidea
(15 species)

family: macroscelididae elephant-shrews

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