The lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (Microgale longicaudata ) is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is active at all hours of the day and night, but each individual maintains its own pattern of rest and activity.
As its name implies, it occupies the ecological niche filled by shrews in other parts of the world. The coat is short, but dense, and quite lacking in the spines so common in this family. The long tail is prehensile. Its body is 5–15 cm long, with the tail being 7.5–17 cm long.
It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Although it climbs well, it usually mostly forages on the forest floor for soil invertebrates like grubs, worms and small insects.
