WElephant shrews, also called jumping shrews or sengis, are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa, belonging to the family Macroscelididae, in the order Macroscelidea. Their traditional common English name "elephant shrew" comes from a perceived resemblance between their long noses and the trunk of an elephant, and their superficial similarity with shrews in the order Eulipotyphla. However, phylogenetic analysis revealed that elephant shrews are not classified with true shrews, but are in fact more closely related to elephants than shrews. In 1997, the biologist Jonathan Kingdon proposed that they instead be called "sengis", a term derived from the Bantu languages of Africa, and in 1998, they were classified into the new clade Afrotheria.
WThe black and rufous elephant shrew, the black and rufous sengi, or the Zanj elephant shrew is one of the 17 species of elephant shrew found only in Africa. Like other members of the genus Rhynchocyon, it is a relatively large species, with adults averaging about 28 cm (11 in) in length and 450-700 g (1.0-1.5 lb) in weight. It is native to the lowland montane and dense forests of Kenya and Tanzania. It eats insects such as beetles, termites, and centipedes, using its proboscis to dig them from the soil and its tongue to lick them up. It typically builds ground level nests for shelter requiring dry leaf litter often at the base of trees. Like most elephant shrews, it lives in monogamous pairs, defending hectare-sized territories.
WThe bushveld elephant shrew or bushveld sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and hot deserts.
WThe Cape elephant shrew, also known as the Cape rock elephant-shrew, or Cape rock sengi, is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is endemic to South Africa, although it is a relatively common animal. Its natural habitat is rocky areas. Elephant shrews are not closely related to other species of shrews and to rodents such as mice. E. edwardii has been observed to be a non-flying mammal pollinator of the pagoda lily. It uses its long slender tongue to feed on the pagoda lily's nectar while getting the lily's pollen on its long nose.
WThe checkered elephant shrew or checkered sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.
WThe dusky elephant shrew or dusky sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna.
WThe dusky-footed elephant shrew or dusky-footed sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
WThe eastern rock elephant shrew or eastern rock sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland and rocky areas.
WElephantulus is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It contains the following species:Short-snouted elephant shrew Cape elephant shrew (E.edwardii) Dusky-footed elephant shrew Dusky elephant shrew Bushveld elephant shrew Eastern rock elephant shrew Karoo rock elephant shrew Rufous elephant shrew Western rock elephant shrew
WThe four-toed elephant shrew or four-toed sengi is the only living species in the genus Petrodromus, which together with five other extant genera Rhynchocyon, Macroscelides, Petrosaltator, Galegeeska and Elephantulus constitutes the order Macroscelidea. This species is only found in particular regions in Africa and is smaller in size compared to its relatives. A comprehensive recording of this species is lacking.
WThe Somali elephant shrew or Somali sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.
WThe golden-rumped elephant shrew is a small African mammal. It is the largest species of the elephant shrew family along with its close relative the grey-faced sengi. It is classified as endangered.
WThe Karoo rock elephant shrew or Karoo rock sengi is a type of shrew in the genus Elephantulus. Its known habitat is in South Africa.
WMacroscelides is a genus of small shrew-like animals, the round-eared sengis, found in western Namibia and in South Africa; they are members of the clade Afrotheria.
WMacroscelides flavicaudatus is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae found in the central Namib desert and southern Namibia.
WMacroscelides micus is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is only found in gravel plains in the Etendeka formation of north-west Namibia. Measuring about 7.3 inches (19 cm) long and weighing less than an ounce, the species is the smallest in the elephant shrew family.
WThe round-eared elephant shrew or round-eared sengi, 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, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and hot deserts. They eat insects, shoots, and roots. Their gestation period is 56 days.
WThe North African elephant shrew or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and is the only extant afrotherian within its range. The species was formerly classified in the genus Elephantulus, but molecular evidence indicates that it is more closely related to Petrodromus than to other members of Elephantulus. It was moved to a new genus, Petrosaltator, in 2016. The split with Petrodromus likely occurred during the Miocene period.
WThe four-toed elephant shrew or four-toed sengi is the only living species in the genus Petrodromus, which together with five other extant genera Rhynchocyon, Macroscelides, Petrosaltator, Galegeeska and Elephantulus constitutes the order Macroscelidea. This species is only found in particular regions in Africa and is smaller in size compared to its relatives. A comprehensive recording of this species is lacking.
WThe North African elephant shrew or North African sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, and is the only extant afrotherian within its range. The species was formerly classified in the genus Elephantulus, but molecular evidence indicates that it is more closely related to Petrodromus than to other members of Elephantulus. It was moved to a new genus, Petrosaltator, in 2016. The split with Petrodromus likely occurred during the Miocene period.
WRhynchocyon is a genus of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. Members of this genus are known colloquially as the checkered elephant shrews or giant sengis. It contains the following five species:Golden-rumped elephant shrew, Rhynchocyon chrysopygus Checkered elephant shrew, Rhynchocyon cirnei Black and rufous elephant shrew, Rhynchocyon petersi Rhynchocyon stuhlmanni Grey-faced sengi, Rhynchocyon udzungwensis
WThe rufous elephant shrew, rufous sengi or East African long-eared elephant-shrew is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. Found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
WThe grey-faced sengi is a species of elephant shrew that is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains of south-central Tanzania. The discovery of the species was announced in January 2008; only 15 species of elephant shrew were known until then, and the last discovery was made more than 120 years ago. As the name implies, the species is characterised by a distinctive grey face and a black rump, as well as being larger than the other species of elephant shrews.
WThe short-snouted elephant shrew or short-snouted sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found over a wide area of Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
WThe Somali elephant shrew or Somali sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.
WThe western rock elephant shrew or western rock sengi is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae. It is found in Namibia, South Africa, possibly Angola, and possibly Botswana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and rocky areas.