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

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]

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 Elephantulus – Thomas, 1906 – eight species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bushveld elephant shrew	E. intufi (Smith, 1836)	Southern Africa	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 [5]
Cape elephant shrew	E. edwardii (Smith, 1839)	Southern South Africa	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 [7]
Dusky elephant shrew	E. fuscus (Peters, 1852)	Southern Africa	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 [9]
Dusky-footed elephant shrew	E. fuscipes (Thomas, 1894)	Central Africa	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 [12]
Eastern rock elephant shrew	E. myurus Thomas, Schwann, 1906	Southern Africa	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 [14]
Karoo rock elephant shrew	E. pilicaudus Smit, Robinson, Watson, van Vuuren, 2008	Western South Africa	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 [16]
Short-snouted elephant shrew	E. brachyrhynchus (Smith, 1836)	Southern and southeastern Africa	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 [18]
Western rock elephant shrew	E. rupestris (Smith, 1831)	Southern Africa	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 [21]

Genus Galegeeska – Heritage, Rayaleh, 2020 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Somali 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 [23]
Rufous 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	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 [25]

Genus Macroscelides – Smith, 1829 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Etendeka round-eared sengi	M. micus Dumbacher, Rathbun, 2014	Northwestern Namibia	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 [28]
Namib round-eared sengi	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 [31]
Round-eared elephant shrew	M. proboscideus (Shaw, 1800)	Southern Africa	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 [33]

Genus Petrodromus – Peters, 1846 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Four-toed 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	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 [35]

Genus Petrosaltator – Rathbun, Dumbacher, 2016 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
North African elephant shrew	P. rozeti (Duvernoy, 1833) Two subspecies P. r. deserti P. r. rozeti	Northwestern Africa	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 [37]

Genus Rhynchocyon – Peters, 1847 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Black and rufous elephant shrew	R. petersi Bocage, 1880 Two subspecies R. p. adersi R. p. petersi	Eastern Africa	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 [39]
Checkered 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	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 [41]
Golden-rumped elephant shrew	R. chrysopygus Günther, 1881	Eastern Kenya	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 [43]
Grey-faced sengi	R. udzungwensis Rovero, Rathbun, 2008	Central Tanzania	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 [46]

References

Sources