The giant otter shrew (Potamogale velox) is a semiaquatic, carnivorous afrotherian mammal. It is found in the main rainforest block of central Africa from Nigeria to Zambia, with a few isolated populations in Kenya and Uganda. It lives in streams, wetlands and slow flowing larger rivers.[2] It is the only species in the genus Potamogale. Otter shrews are most closely related to the tenrecs of Madagascar.[3]
They are nocturnal carnivores that feed on aquatic animals. Despite its name, the giant otter shrew is neither a true shrew (Soricidae) or otter (Lutrinae). The common name refers to their resemblance to otters with their flat face, stiff whiskers, and muscular tails, and to their overall superficial similarity to true shrews.
^Stephenson, P.J.; Goodman, S.; Soarimalala, V. (2016). "Potamogale velox". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T18095A97203526. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T18095A97203526.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Kingdon, Jonathan (1997). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. San Diego: AP Natural World. p. 137. ISBN 0-12-408355-2.
^Everson, K. M.; Soarimalala, V.; Goodman, S. M.; Olson, L. E. (2016). "Multiple Loci and Complete Taxonomic Sampling Resolve the Phylogeny and Biogeographic History of Tenrecs (Mammalia: Tenrecidae) and Reveal Higher Speciation Rates in Madagascar's Humid Forests". Systematic Biology. 65 (5): 890–909. doi:10.1093/sysbio/syw034. PMID 27103169.
name which means "looking like African shrews") contains the golden moles of Southern Africa, the ottershrews of equatorial Africa and the tenrecs of...
The Ruwenzori ottershrew (Micropotamogale ruwenzorii) is a species of semiaquatic dwarf ottershrew of the family Potamogalidae. It is found in the Democratic...
The Nimba ottershrew (Micropotamogale lamottei) is a dwarf ottershrew and belongs to the mammal family Potamogalidae. Ottershrews are shrew-like afrotherian...
Micropotamogale is a genus of small, otter-like dwarf ottershrews native to riverine habitats of West African rainforests. They feed on aquatic animals...
are the ottershrews and tenrecs. They are more distantly related to other insectivorous African mammals such as aardvarks and elephant shrews, and even...
mammals by family. The largest of these insectivorous mammals is the giantottershrew (Potamogale velox), native to Central Africa. This species can weigh...
They range in size from the least shrew tenrec, at 4 cm (2 in) plus a 6 cm (2 in) tail, to the giantottershrew, at 34 cm (13 in) plus a 39 cm (15 in)...
rafting over from Africa. The split from their closest relatives, African ottershrews, is estimated to have occurred about 47–53 million years ago. The word...
Shrews (family Soricidae) are small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla. True shrews are not to be confused with treeshrews, otter...
tenrec Family Potamogalidae Genus Micropotamogale – ottershrews Genus Potamogale – giantottershrew Family Chrysochloridae – golden moles Subfamily Chrysochlorinae...
Afrosoricida Giantottershrew (Potamogale velox) Order Eulipotyphla Family Soricidae: shrews Malayan water shrew (Chimarrogale hantu) Himalayan water shrew (Chimarrogale...
autobiographical books about his family's time on Corfu, ITV (2016–2019) Tarka the Otter, movie, directed by David Cobham (1979) A time capsule buried at Jersey...
Family: Tenrecidae (tenrecs) Subfamily: Potamogalinae Genus: Potamogale Giantottershrew, P. velox LC The order Tubulidentata consists of a single species...
Tenrecomorpha is the suborder of ottershrews and tenrecs, a group of afrotherian mammals indigenous to equatorial Africa and Madagascar, respectively...
The giant golden mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani) is a small mammal found in Africa. At 23 centimetres (9.1 in) in length, it is the largest of the golden...
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