Tenrecinae is a

tenrec A tenrec () is a mammal belonging to any species within the afrotherian family Tenrecidae, which is endemic to Madagascar. Tenrecs are a very diverse group, as a result of adaptive radiation, and exhibit convergent evolution, some resemble hed ...

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the island of

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. It contains the largest species in the family, ''

Tenrec ecaudatus The tailless tenrec (''Tenrec ecaudatus''), also known as the common tenrec, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Tenrec''. Native to Madagascar, it is also found on the Comoros, Mauritius, Réun ...

''. All members of the genus possess spines, analogous to those of

hedgehog A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. The ...

s, for defense against predators. Tenrecinae is thought to have split from the lineages of all other extant tenrecs about 36 million years ( Ma) ago. The deepest phylogenetic split within the subfamily, that between two

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

s composed of ''Echinops'' plus ''Setifer'' and ''Hemicentetes'' plus ''Tenrec'', is thought to have occurred about 26 Ma ago. In turn, ''Hemicentetes'' is thought to have diverged from ''Tenrec'' about 16 Ma ago, and ''Echinops'' from ''Setifer'' about 10 Ma ago.

Extant species

Subfamily Tenrecinae * Tribe: Setiferini ** Genus ''

Echinops ''Echinops'' is a genus of about 130 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, commonly known as globe thistles. They have spiny foliage and produce blue or white spherical flower heads. They are distributed from central Asia, Mongo ...

'' ***

Lesser hedgehog tenrec The lesser hedgehog tenrec (''Echinops telfairi'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Echinops'' and is named in honour of Charles Telfair. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats ...

(''E. telfairi'') ** Genus ''

Setifer The greater hedgehog tenrec (''Setifer setosus''), also known as the large Madagascar hedgehog or sokina, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical forests, shr ...

'' ***

Greater hedgehog tenrec The greater hedgehog tenrec (''Setifer setosus''), also known as the large Madagascar hedgehog or sokina, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical forests, shr ...

(''S. setosus'') * Tribe: Tenrecini ** Genus '' Hemicentetes'' ***

Highland streaked tenrec The highland streaked tenrec (''Hemicentetes nigriceps'') is an insectivore which lives in the central upland regions of Madagascar. Its black-and-white-striped body is covered with quills, which it raises when agitated. The spines detach and rem ...

(''H. nigriceps'') ***

Lowland streaked tenrec The lowland streaked tenrec (''Hemicentetes semispinosus'') is a small tenrec found in Madagascar. It belongs to the family Tenrecidae in the order Afrosoricida, and more specifically to the subfamily of the spiny tenrecs Tenrecinae. Its natural ...

(''H. semispinosus'') ** Genus ''Tenrec'' ***

Tailless tenrec The tailless tenrec (''Tenrec ecaudatus''), also known as the common tenrec, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Tenrec''. Native to Madagascar, it is also found on the Comoros, Mauritius, Réun ...

(''T. ecaudatus'')

References

Afrosoricida Mammal subfamilies Taxa named by John Edward Gray {{afrosoricida-stub

Extant species

See also

References