View source for Afrosoricida

{{Short description|Order of mammals}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Afrosoricida
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Eocene|Recent}}
| image = Kleiner-igeltanrek-a.jpg
| image_caption = [[Lesser hedgehog tenrec]] (''Echinops telfairi'')
| image2 = Eremitalpa granti.jpg
| image2_caption = [[Grant's golden mole]] (''Eremitalpa granti'')
| taxon = Afrosoricida
| authority = Stanhope MJ, Waddell VG, Madsen O, de Jong W, Hedges SB, Cleven G, Kao D, Springer MS, 1998
| subdivision_ranks = Subclades
| subdivision =†''[[Afrodon]]''<br />
&nbsp;†''[[Dilambdogale]]''<br />
&nbsp;†''[[Protenrec]]''<br />
&nbsp;†''[[Todralestes]]''<br />
&nbsp;†''[[Widanelfarasia]]''<br />
&nbsp;?†[[Adapisoriculidae]]<br />
&nbsp;[[Chrysochloridea]]<br />
&nbsp;[[Tenrecomorpha]]
| range_map = Afrosoricida range Color.jpg
}}

The clade '''Afrosoricida''' (a Latin-Greek compound name which means "looking like African shrews") contains the [[golden mole]]s of [[Southern Africa]], the [[otter shrew]]s of [[equatorial Africa]] and the [[tenrec]]s of [[Madagascar]]. These three groups of small [[mammal]]s were for most of the 19th and 20th centuries regarded as a part of the [[Insectivora]] or [[Lipotyphla]], but both of those groups, as traditionally used, are [[polyphyletic]].

==Naming==
Some biologists use '''Tenrecoidea''' or '''Tenrecomorpha''' as the name for the tenrec-golden mole [[clade]] and regard '''Afrosoricida''' as a junior synonym (even though the rules of the [[ICZN]] do not apply above the Linnean rank of family). This is based on the principles of Simpson,<ref name="Simpson1945">{{cite journal |last1= Simpson |first1= G.G. |year= 1945 |title= The principles of classification and a classification of mammals |journal= Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume= 85 |pages= 1–350}}</ref> summarized by Asher & Helgen<ref name=AsherHelgen2010>{{cite journal |last1= Asher |first1= R.J. |last2= Helgen |first2= K.M. |year= 2010 |title= Nomenclature and placental mammal phylogeny |journal= BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume= 10 |issue= 1 |pages= 1–9 |doi= 10.1186/1471-2148-10-102 |doi-access= free |pmid= 20406454 |pmc= 2865478|bibcode= 2010BMCEE..10..102A }}</ref> to mean that "priority and stability should comprise the overriding principles by which new, high-level taxa are named. Established names for any given clade should not be altered unless the name with precedent unambiguously threatens stability." When "Afrosoricida" was first named in 1998, ''[[Afrosorex]]'' was a subgenus of ''[[Crocidura]]'' and McDowell<ref name="McDowell1958">{{cite journal |last1= McDowell |first1= S.B. |year= 1958 |title= The Greater Antillean Insectivores |journal= Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume= 115 |pages= 1–214}}</ref> had used the name '''Tenrecoidea''' for the same clade of golden moles and tenrecs. Gary Bronner and Paula Jenkins referred to "Afrosoricida" in their chapter in Wilson & Reeder<ref>{{MSW3}}</ref> as "...&nbsp;inappropriate since this clade does not include soricids, and could lead to confusion with the soricid subgenus ''[[Afrosorex]]''" but still kept it due to their perception that the name was "entrenched in the recent literature" and because of the admittedly confusing history of terms like Tenrecoidea and Tenrecomorpha.<ref>{{cite book |author=Stanhope |year=1998 |section=Afrosoricida |editor1=Wilson |editor2=Reeder |title=Mammal Species of the World |edition=3rd |via=bucknell.edu/biology |publisher=[[Bucknell University]] |section-url=https://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?s=y&id=11100001}}</ref> Asher & Helgen<ref name=AsherHelgen2010/> presented their views on the appropriateness of these and other high-level taxa, including a response<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Asher |first1= R.J. |last2= Helgen |first2= K.M. |year= 2011 |title= High level Mammalian taxonomy: a response to Hedges (2011) |journal=Zootaxa |volume=3092 |pages=63–64 |doi= 10.11646/zootaxa.3092.1.5 |url=https://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z03092p064f.pdf}}</ref> to Hedges,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hedges |first=S. Blair |date=2011-05-05 |title=On the use of high-level taxonomic names |journal=Zootaxa |volume=2867 |issue=1 |page=67 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.2867.1.5 |doi-access=free |issn=1175-5334 |url=https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2867.1.5 }}</ref> who supported keeping "Afrosoricida".

==Biology==
As a rule, tenrecs and otter shrews tend to be small animals varying from 4&nbsp;cm to 39&nbsp;cm in length. There is no pronounced body type since they have evolved to occupy a number of small-bodied, faunivorous niches in Madagascar (tenrecines) and mainland Africa (potamogalines). However, certain species bear some ecological similarity to hedgehogs, soricid shrews, or miniature [[otter]]s. Their coat can vary from smooth to spiny and the coloration of the fur can also vary from brown, gray, to other hues (see for example photos on the ASM library<ref>{{cite web |website=American Society of Mammalogists |department=Image library |title=tenrec |url=https://www.mammalogy.org/image-library?keyword=tenrec&sort_bef_combine=relevance_DESC |access-date=7 September 2023 }}</ref>). Most species are also nocturnal and have poor eyesight. Their [[whisker]]s are rather sensitive and they can detect very minute vibrations in the ground to locate their prey.

Unusual among [[placental]]s, afrosoricids have a [[cloaca]], which is the rear orifice that functions as the opening for the [[urination|urinary]], [[gastrointestinal tract|digestive]], and [[reproductive system|reproductive]] tracts.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Jonathan Kingdon|author2= David Happold|author3= Thomas Butynski|author4= Michael Hoffman|author5= Meredith Happold|author6= Jan Kalina|title=Mammals of Africa: Volumes I-VI|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=B_07noCPc4kC&pg=PA216|access-date=13 November 2024|year=2020|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn= 978-1-40818-996-2|page=216}}</ref>

==Phylogeny==
Traditionally, these two families were grouped with the [[hedgehog]]s, [[shrew]]s and [[Mole (animal)|mole]]s in the [[Lipotyphla]]. However, there have always been minority opinions suggesting that Tenrecoidea, or at least the golden moles, are not true lipotyphlans. For example, Robert Broom wrote in 1916<ref name=Broom1916>
{{cite journal
 |last1=Broom |first1=R.
 |year=1916
 |title=On the structure of the skull in ''Chrysochloris''
 |journal=Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London
 |volume=1916 |issue=3
 |pages=449–459
|doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.1916.tb02024.x
 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/72143
 }}
</ref>
that "examination of the skull confirms ... that ''[[Chrysochloris]]'' is not a near ally of ''Centetes''" (i.e., ''[[Tenrec ecaudatus]]'') "and that it is not an Insectivore". These opinions are now supported by many genetic studies indicating an association between tenrecoids and various other African mammals in the [[Afrotheria]].<ref name=Stanhope1998>
{{cite journal
 |last1=Stanhope |first1=M.J.      |last2=Waddell      |first2=V.G.
 |last3=Madsen   |first3=O.        |last4=de&nbsp;Jong |first4=W.
 |last5=Hedges   |first5=S.B.      |last6=Cleven       |first6=G.C.
 |last7=Kao      |first7=D.        |last8=Springer     |first8=M.S.
 |year=1998
 |title=Molecular evidence for multiple origins of Insectivora and for a new order of endemic African insectivore mammals
 |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
 |volume=95  |issue=17  |pages=9967–9972
 |doi=10.1073/pnas.95.17.9967 |doi-access=free
 |pmid=9707584  |pmc=21445  |bibcode=1998PNAS...95.9967S
}}
</ref><ref name=Douady2003>
{{cite journal
 |last1=Douady  |first1=C.J.
 |last2=Douzery |first2=E.J.P.
 |year=2003
 |title=Molecular estimation of eulipotyphlan divergence times and the evolution of "Insectivora"
 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
 |volume=28  |issue=2  |pages=285–296
 |doi= 10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00119-2 |pmid=12878465
|bibcode=2003MolPE..28..285D
 }}
</ref><ref name=Everson2016>
{{cite journal
 |last1=Everson |first1=K.M.         |last2=Soarimalala |first2=V.
 |last3=Goodman |first3=S.M.         |last4=Olson       |first4=L.E.
 |year= 2016
 |title= 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
 |journal=Systematic Biology
 |volume=65  |issue=5  |pages=890–909
 |doi=10.1093/sysbio/syw034 |doi-access=free |pmid=27103169
}}
</ref><ref name=Upham2019>
{{Cite journal
 |last1=Upham     |first1=Nathan S.
 |last2=Esselstyn |first2=Jacob A.
 |last3=Jetz      |first3=Walter
 |date=2019
 |title=Inferring the mammal tree: Species-level sets of phylogenies for questions in ecology, evolution and conservation
 |journal=PLOS Biol
 |volume=17  |issue=12  |article-number=e3000494
 |doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000494 |doi-access=free
 |pmid=31800571  |pmc=6892540
}}
</ref>
Tenrecs and golden moles are sometimes considered part of the [[Afroinsectiphilia]], a clade within Afrotheria.

===Cladogram of living Afrosoricida===
The generally accepted cladogram of living Afrosoricida is:<ref name=Everson2016/><ref name=Upham2019/>

{{clade
|style=font-size:90%;line-height:100%;align:left;
|label1='''Afrosoricida'''
|1={{clade
  |label1= Chrysochloridea
  |1={{clade
    |label1= [[Chrysochloridae]] 
    |1={{clade
      |label1= 
      |1={{clade
         |label1= ''[[Eremitalpa]]'' 
         |1=''[[Eremitalpa granti|E. granti]]''
         }}
      |2={{clade
        |label1=
        |1={{clade
          |label1= ''[[Stuhlmann's golden mole|Kilimatalpa]]'' 
          |1={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Stuhlmann's golden mole|K. stuhlmanni]]'' }}
          |label2= ''[[Chrysochloris]]'' 
          |2={{clade
             |label1=
             |1=''[[Chrysochloris asiatica|C. asiatica]]''
             |2=''[[Cryptochloris wintoni|C. wintoni]]'' 
             }}
           }}
        |2={{clade
          |label1=
          |1={{clade
             |label1=
             |1=''[[Chrysospalax trevelyani]]''
             |2=''[[Calcochloris obtusirostris]]''
             }}
          |2={{clade
             |label1=''[[Chlorotalpa]]''
             |1={{clade
                |label1=
                |1=''[[Chlorotalpa duthieae|C. duthieae]]''
                |2=''[[Chlorotalpa sclateri|C. sclateri]]''
                }}
             |label2=''[[Amblysomus]]''
             |2={{clade
                |label1=
                |1={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Amblysomus hottentotus|A. hottentotus]]''}}
                |2={{clade
                   |label1=
                   |1=''[[Amblysomus marleyi|A. marleyi]]''
                   |2=''[[Amblysomus septentrionalis|A. septentrionalis]]''
                   |3={{clade
                      |label1=
                      |1={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Arends' golden mole|A. arendsi]]'' }}
                      |2={{clade
                         |label1=
                         |1=''[[Amblysomus gunningi|A. gunningi]]''
                         |2=''[[Amblysomus julianae|A. julianae]]''
                         }}
                      }}
                   }}
                }}
              }}
           }}
         }}
       }}
     }}
  |label2= [[Tenrecomorpha]] 
  |2={{clade
    |label1= [[Potamogalidae]] 
    |1={{clade
      |label1= ''[[Micropotamogale]]'' 
      |1={{clade
         |label1=
         |1=''[[Micropotamogale lamottei|M. lamottei]]''
         |2=''[[Micropotamogale ruwenzorii|M. ruwenzorii]]''
         }}
      |label2= ''[[Potamogale]]'' 
      |2={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Potamogale velox|P. velox]]''}}
      }}
    |label2= [[Tenrecidae]] 
    |2={{clade
      |label1= [[Tenrecinae]] 
      |1={{clade
        |label1=
        |1={{clade
           |label1=
           |1=''[[Hemicentetes semispinosus]]''
           |2=''[[Tenrec ecaudatus]]''
           }}
        |2={{clade
           |label1=
           |1=''[[Echinops telfairi]]''
           |2=''[[Setifer setosus]]'' 
           }}
         }}
      |2={{clade
         |1={{clade
            |label1=''[[Geogale]]''
             |1={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Geogale aurita|G. aurita]]'' }}
            }}
         |label2= [[Oryzorictinae]] 
         |2={{clade
            |label1= ''[[Oryzorictes]]'' 
            |1={{clade |label1= |1=''[[Oryzorictes hova|O. hova]]'' }}
            |label2= ''[[Microgale]]'' 
            |2={{clade
               |label1=
               |1={{clade
                  |label1=
                  |1=''[[Microgale talazaci|M. talazaci]]''
                  |2=''[[Microgale dobsoni|M. dobsoni]]'' 
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |label1=
                  |1={{clade |1=''[[Microgale cowani|M. cowani]]'' }}
                  |2={{clade
                     |label1=
                     |1=''[[Microgale brevicaudata|M. brevicaudata]]''
                     |2=''[[Microgale grandidieri|M. grandidieri]]''
                     }}  
                  }}   
              |3={{clade
                 |label1=
                 |1=''[[Microgale mergulus|M. mergulus]]''
                 |2={{clade
                    |label1=
                    |1=''[[Microgale pusilla|M. pusilla]]''
                    |2={{clade
                       |label1=
                       |1=''[[Microgale majori|M. majori]]''
                       |2={{clade
                          |label1=
                          |1=''[[Microgale principula|M. principula]]''
                          |2=''[[Microgale longicaudata|M. longicaudata]]''
                          }}
                       }}
                   }}
                }}
             }}
           }}
         }}
       }}
     }}
   }}
}}
{{clear}}

=== Species ===
* Infraclass [[Eutheria]]: placental mammals
** Superorder [[Afrotheria]]
*** Clade [[Afroinsectiphilia]]
**** Clade [[Afroinsectivora]]
***** Order '''Afrosoricida'''
****** Suborder [[Tenrecomorpha]] (otter shrews and tenrecs)
******* Family [[Potamogalidae]] ([[otter shrew]]s)
******** Genus ''[[Micropotamogale]]''
********* [[Nimba otter shrew]] (''[[Micropotamogale lamottei]]'')
********* [[Ruwenzori otter shrew]] (''[[Micropotamogale ruwenzorii]]'')
******** Genus ''[[Potamogale]]''
********* [[Giant otter shrew]] (''[[Potamogale velox]]'')
******* Family [[Plesiorycteropodidae]]
******** Genus †''[[Plesiorycteropus]]''
********* †''Plesiorycteropus madagascariensis''
********* †''Plesiorycteropus germainepetterae''
******* Family [[Tenrecidae]] ([[tenrec]]s)
******** Subfamily [[Geogalinae]] (1 species)
********* Genus ''[[Geogale]]''
********** [[Large-eared tenrec]] (''[[Geogale aurita]]'')
******** Subfamily [[Oryzorictinae]] (24 species)
********* Genus ''[[Microgale]]''
********** [[Short-tailed shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale brevicaudata]]'')
********** [[Cowan's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale cowani]]'')
********** [[Drouhard's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale drouhardi]]'')
********** [[Dryad shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale dryas]]'')
********** [[Pale shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale fotsifotsy]]'')
********** [[Gracile shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale gracilis]]'')
********** [[Naked-nosed shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale gymnorhyncha]]'')
********** [[Jenkins's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale jenkinsae]]'')
********** [[Northern shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale jobihely]]'') 
********** [[Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale longicaudata]]'')
********** [[Major's long-tailed tenrec]] (''[[Microgale majori]]'')
********** [[Web-footed tenrec]] (''[[Microgale mergulus]]'')
********** [[Montane shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale monticola]]'')
********** [[Nasolo's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale nasoloi]]'')
********** [[Pygmy shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale parvula]]'')
********** [[Greater long-tailed shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale principula]]'')
********** [[Least shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale pusilla]]'')
********** [[Shrew-toothed shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale soricoides]]'')
********** [[Taiva shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale taiva]]'')
********** [[Thomas's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Microgale thomasi]]'')
********* Subgenus ''[[Nesogale]]''
********** [[Dobson's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Nesogale dobsoni]]'')
********** [[Talazac's shrew tenrec]] (''[[Nesogale talazaci]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Oryzorictes]]''
********** [[Mole-like rice tenrec]] (''[[Oryzorictes hova]]'')
********** [[Four-toed rice tenrec]] (''[[Oryzorictes tetradactylus]]'')
******** Subfamily [[Tenrecinae]] (5 species)
********* Tribe [[Setiferini]]
********** Genus ''[[Echinops (tenrec)|Echinops]]''
*********** [[Lesser hedgehog tenrec]] (''[[Echinops telfairi]]'')
********** Genus ''[[Setifer]]''
*********** [[Greater hedgehog tenrec]] (''[[Setifer setosus]]'')
********* Tribe [[Tenrecini]]
********** Genus ''[[Hemicentetes]]''
*********** [[Highland streaked tenrec]] (''[[Hemicentetes nigriceps]]'')
*********** [[Lowland streaked tenrec]] (''[[Hemicentetes semispinosus]]'')
********** Genus ''[[Tenrec (genus)|Tenrec]]''
*********** [[Common tenrec]] (''[[Tenrec ecaudatus]]'')
****** Suborder [[Chrysochloridea]] ([[golden mole]]s)
******* Family [[Chrysochloridae]] (golden moles)
******** Subfamily [[Chrysochlorinae]] (11 species)
********* Genus ''[[Carpitalpa]]''
********** [[Arends' golden mole]] (''[[Carpitalpa arendsi]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Chlorotalpa]]''
********** [[Duthie's golden mole]] (''[[Chlorotalpa duthieae]]'')
********** [[Sclater's golden mole]] (''[[Chlorotalpa sclateri]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Chrysochloris]]''
********** Subgenus ''Chrysochloris''
*********** [[Cape golden mole]] (''[[Chrysochloris asiatica]]'')
*********** [[Visagie's golden mole]] (''[[Chrysochloris visagiei]]'')
********** Subgenus ''Kilimatalpa''
*********** [[Stuhlmann's golden mole]] (''[[Chrysochloris stuhlmanni]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Chrysospalax]]''
********** [[Giant golden mole]] (''[[Chrysospalax trevelyani]]'')
********** [[Rough-haired golden mole]] (''[[Chrysospalax villosus]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Cryptochloris (mole)|Cryptochloris]]''
********** [[De Winton's golden mole]] (''[[Cryptochloris wintoni]]'')
********** [[Van Zyl's golden mole]] (''[[Cryptochloris zyli]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Eremitalpa]]''
********** [[Grant's golden mole]] (''[[Eremitalpa granti]]'')
******** Subfamily [[Amblysominae]] (10 species)
********* Genus ''[[Amblysomus]]''
********** [[Fynbos golden mole]] (''[[Amblysomus corriae]]'')
********** [[Hottentot golden mole]] (''[[Amblysomus hottentotus]]'')
********** [[Marley's golden mole]] (''[[Amblysomus marleyi]]'')
********** [[Robust golden mole]] (''[[Amblysomus robustus]]'')
********** [[Highveld golden mole]] (''[[Amblysomus septentrionalis]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Calcochloris]]''
********** Subgenus ''Huetia''
*********** [[Congo golden mole]] (''[[Calcochloris leucorhinus]]'')
********** Subgenus ''Calcochloris''
*********** [[Yellow golden mole]] (''[[Calcochloris obtusirostris]]'')
********** Subgenus ''[[incertae sedis]]''
*********** [[Somali golden mole]] (''[[Calcochloris tytonis]]'')
********* Genus ''[[Neamblysomus]]''
********** [[Juliana's golden mole]] (''[[Neamblysomus julianae]]'')
********** [[Gunning's golden mole]] (''[[Neamblysomus gunningi]]'')

==See also==

* [[Pseudoungulata]]
* [[List of mammals of Madagascar]]
* [[List of afrosoricids]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Mammals}}
{{Afrosoricida}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q328082}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Afrosoricida| ]]
[[Category:Afroinsectivora]]
[[Category:Mammal orders]]
[[Category:Extant Miocene first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa described in 1998]]