Short-tailed gymnure

Short-tailed gymnure[1]
Hylomys suillus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Erinaceidae
Genus:	Hylomys
Species:	H. suillus
Binomial name
Hylomys suillus Müller, 1840
Short-tailed gymnure range

The short-tailed gymnure (Hylomys suillus) is a small mammal from the family of the Erinaceidae. The scientific name of the species is first published by Müller in 1840.

Description

The upperparts of the short-tailed gymnure are reddish brown to dark brown, with a grey tinge. The underparts are light grey, with white-tipped hairs. It resembles a shrew, with a long snout, but it has a very short hairless tail. The head and body length is 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in) and the tail length measures 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in)^[3]

Habits and habitat

This mammal is active both day and night. The species lives in hill and montane forests up to 3,000m, but sometimes in humid lowland forests. It feeds mainly on insects on the ground but it also takes some fruit sometimes. They normally don't live any longer than 2 years.^[3]

Distribution

The species lives mainly in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodja, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam), but it is also found in China.^[3]

References

1. Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
2. Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Hylomys suillus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 2006-05-12. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
3. Shepherd, Chris R.; Shepherd, Loretta Ann (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. Wiltshire: John BeauFoy Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-906780-71-5.

External links

• Image at ADW