''Microgale''
is a genus of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. There are 21 living species on the island of Madagascar and one extinct species known from a fossil. Some species have been discovered in the last twenty years.
On the basis of molecular data indicating that Talazac's shrew tenrec and Dobson's shrew tenrec form a sister group to the rest of ''Microgale'', these two species were transferred from ''Microgale'' to ''Nesogale'' in 2016.
''Nesogale'' and ''Microgale'' are estimated to have diverged about 19 million years ago, during the Early Miocene.
The web-footed tenrec, ''M. mergulus'', the only semiaquatic member of the genus, was formerly placed in the Monotypic taxon, monotypic genus ''Limnogale'', but was moved in 2016 on the basis of sequence data showing it to be deeply nested within ''Microgale''.
''Microgale'' contains the following extant species:
*Short-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. brevicaudata'') – G. Grandidier, 1899
*Cowan's shrew tenrec (''M. cowani'') – Thomas, 1882
*Drouhard's shrew tenrec (''M. drouhardi'') – Grandidier, 1934
*Dryad shrew tenrec (''M. dryas'') - Jenkins, 1992
*Pale shrew tenrec (''M. fotsifotsy'') – Jenkins, Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1997
*Gracile shrew tenrec (''M. gracilis'') – (Major, 1896)
*Grandidier's shrew tenrec (''M. grandidieri'') - Olson et al., 2009
*Naked-nosed shrew tenrec (''M. gymnorhyncha'') - Jenkins et al., 1996
*Jenkins's shrew tenrec (''M. jenkinsae'') - Goodman & Soarimalala, 2004
*Northern shrew tenrec (''M. jobihely'') - Goodman, Raxworthy, Maminirina & Olson, 2006
*Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. longicaudata'') - Thomas, 1882
*Major's long-tailed tenrec (''M. majori'') - Thomas, 1918
*Web-footed tenrec (''M. mergulus'')
- (Major, 1896)
*Montane shrew tenrec (''M. monticola'') - Goodman & Jenkins, 1998
*Nasolo's shrew tenrec (''M. nasoloi'') - Jenkins & Goodman, 1999
*Pygmy shrew tenrec (''M. parvula'') - G. Grandidier, 1934
*Greater long-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. principula'') - Thomas, 1926
*Least shrew tenrec (''M. pusilla'') - Major, 1896
*Shrew-toothed shrew tenrec (''M. soricoides'') - Jenkins, 1993
*Taiva shrew tenrec (''M. taiva'') - Major, 1896
*Thomas's shrew tenrec (''M. thomasi'') - Major, 1896
Shrew tenrecs converged on the shrew like body plan these animals also share the same diversity as shrews with web footed tenrecs closely resembling water shrews.
Extinct species
*''Microgale macpheei'' - subfossil from southeastern Madagascar
References
*
Afrosoricida
Mammal genera
Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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