Etendeka round-eared sengi, Etendeka round-eared elephant shrew
Macroscelides micus (common name Etendeka round-eared sengi or Etendeka round-eared elephant shrew) 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 (28 grams), the species is the smallest in the elephant shrew family.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Monogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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starts withMacroscelides micus is the smallest known elephant shrew. Its body shape resembles that of a long-nosed mouse. However, as a member of the superorder Afrotheria, it is actually more closely related to elephants and manatees than mice. It has pink skin and red fur which helps it camouflage itself against the volcanic rocks of its environment. It weighs less than one ounce (28 grams) and is 7.3 inches (19 cm) long, including the tail, when fully grown. M. micus has long, thin legs relative to its body.
M. micus does not burrow, instead sleeping in bushes. It uses its long nose to hunt for ground insects. Some elephant shrew species are known to be monogamous and mate for life. It is unknown if this is the case for M. micus. The young of M. micus, which are often born as twins, are capable of running from birth.