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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Observations: Little is known about the longevity of these animals. One specimen was still alive after 4.5 years in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005).
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Trophic Strategy

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Checkered elephant shrews are invertivores. They eat invertebrates such as ants, termites, centipedes, earthworms, and beetles and their larvae. They also will eat small mammals, amphibians, mollusks, birds, and bird eggs.

Animal Foods: birds; mammals; amphibians; eggs; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods; mollusks; terrestrial worms

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore , Eats non-insect arthropods)

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Associations

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Snakes and birds of prey are the primary predators of checkered elephant shrews. Checkered elephant shrews are eaten in certain areas of eastern Africa by humans. They are cryptically colored and help to warn each other about the presence of predators through vocal signals.

Known Predators:

  • snakes (Serpentes)
  • birds of prey (Falconiformes)
  • humans (Homo sapiens)

Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Morphology

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Checkered elephant shrews are one of the largest elephant shrews, ranging in body length from 22.9 to 30.5 centimeters and tail length from 17.8 to 25.4 centimeters. They weigh 410 to 550 grams. The coat has several dark stripes that run on either side of the body. A “checkered” pattern is created on the back with alternating chestnut and off-white colors. The background color ranges from beige to yellowish brown to dark brown. Members of the genus Rhynchocyon tend to have bright colors and patterns on their fur. The hind legs are longer than the fore limbs, resulting in a hunchbacked posture. Their forelimbs have three long claws used to excavate small holes in the ground. Checkered elephant shrews also have long and tapering tails, with scent glands located just behind the anus. The nose is elongated and the tongue, which is used to pick up small food items, extends well beyond the edge of the nose. The long proboscis continually twitches in a hesitant, circular motion. It is used as a tool and sense organ. The nostrils are located on the forward end of the snout while long sensory whiskers arise from its base.

General traits for the order Macroscelidea include a relatively long digestive tract with a caecum and several distinctive features of the reproductive tract. Male macroscelids have larger canine teeth than females.

Range mass: 408 to 550 g.

Range length: 22.9 to 30.5 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes shaped differently

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Life Expectancy

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Nothing is known about the lifespan of checkered elephant shrews lifespan. In general, members of the genus Rhynchocyon live to about four of five years old.

Typical lifespan
Status: wild:
4 to 5 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild:
4-5 years.

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Checkered elephant shrews prefer lowland and montane tropical rainforests. They are also found in forest mosaics (open woodlands and woodlands mosaics), grasslands, riparian forests, shrublands, bushlands, and croplands. Checkered elephant shrews are well adapted to areas where there is a plentiful supply of food and water year round.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains

Other Habitat Features: agricultural

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

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Checkered elephant shrews are found only in central and southeast Africa, in the countries of Uganda, southern Tanzania, northern Zaire, northern and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, northern and central Mozambique, northeastern Zambia, and Malawi.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Associations

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Checkered elephant shrews are insectivores and impact insect communities through predation.

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Some people from East Africa use elephant shrews as a source of food.

Positive Impacts: food

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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There are no known negative impacts of checkered elephant shrews on humans.

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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The IUCN places R. cirnei in the vulnerable threat category. Not enough research has been done to determine its true conservation status.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Behavior

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Checkered elephant shrews use visual perception in territorial encounters but also use scent signals to communicate. The scent gland is located just behind the anus and is used to mark territories. When foraging with other checkered elephant shrews, they make continuous squeals and squeaks to maintain group unity. When checkered elephant shrews are alarmed they slap their tail on the ground or tail-rap.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Untitled

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Other common names for R. cirnei are giant elephant shrews and giant sengis.

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

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Checkered elephant shrews form monogamous pairs for life.

Mating System: monogamous

The number of offspring is uncertain. One source states that they have one offspring at a time. Another reports that 4 specimens from Uganda and Zambia had litters of 2 offspring. The British Museum of Natural History has a specimen from which 3 fetuses were removed. A female is able to gestate and lactate at the same time, and females give birth 4 to 5 times a year. Young elephant shrews are born with hair. Rhynchocyon cirnei breeds throughout the year. The gestation period lasts for a period of 42 days.

Breeding interval: Breeding occurs four to five times a year in checkered elephant shrews.

Breeding season: Checkered elephant shrews mate year-round.

Range number of offspring: 1 to 3.

Average gestation period: 42 days.

Range weaning age: 2 (high) weeks.

Range time to independence: 5 to 10 weeks.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous ; post-partum estrous

Newborn checkered elephant shrews stay in the nest for two weeks. After this time the young are fully weaned but follow the mother while she forages. The youngster is able to survive on its own five days after it leaves the nest, but stays with the parents for an extra 5 to 10 weeks after weaning, while trying to establish its territory. Young leave the parents' supervision when they find a territory and a mate.

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Male, Female)

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Gasior, R. 2006. "Rhynchocyon cirnei" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rhynchocyon_cirnei.html
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Robert Gasior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Phil Myers, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Checkered sengi or checkered elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon cirnei)

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The checkered sengi or elephant shrew lives in central and southeast Africa (Uganda, southern Tanzania, northern Zaire, northern and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, northern and central Mozambique, northeastern Zambia and Malawi). Some maps show the sengi to occur in extreme southern Central African Republic, based on an individual said to have been collected between Bangui and Mbaiki west of the Ubangi River (IUCN, Wikipedia). The sengi prefers subtropical and tropical moist lowland and montane tropical rainforests. It also lives in subtropical or tropical dry forests, closed-canopy woodlands, forest mosaics (open woodlands and woodland mosaics), scrub forest, grasslands, riparian forests and thickets ,where the substrate is usually covered with dense leaf litter, shrublands, bushlands, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and croplands. It is well adapted to areas with a plentiful supply of food and water year round. The habitats are often fragmented and isolated due to natural and anthropogenic activities, resulting in isolated and sometimes small populations (IUCN). The body length is 22.9-30.5 cm, the tail length is 17.8-25.4 cm and the weight is 408-550 g. The coat has several dark stripes running on either side of the body. The “checkered” on the back comprises chestnut and off-white colors on a background of beige to yellowish brown to dark brown. The hind legs are longer than the fore limbs, hence a hunchbacked posture. The forelimbs have 3 long claws used to excavate small holes in the ground. There is a long, tapering tail, with scent glands just behind the anus. The tongue is used to pick up small food items and extends well beyond the edge of the elongated proboscis, which continually twitches in a hesitant, circular motion and is used as a tool and sense organ (ADW). The nostrils are on the forward end of the snout and long sensory whiskers arise from its base. The relatively long digestive tract has a caecum and the reproductive tract has several distinctive features. Males have larger canines than do females. It uses visual perception in territorial encounters and also uses scent signals to communicate. The scent gland, just behind the anus, is used to mark territories. When sengis forage together, they make continuous squeals and squeaks to maintain group unity. When they are alarmed, they slap their tail on the ground or tail-rap. The sengi eats invertebrates such as ants, termites, centipedes and earthworms, as well as beetles and their larvae, small mammals, amphibians, molluscs, birds and bird eggs. Its primary predators include snakes, humans and birds of prey. The sengi is cryptically colored and uses warning signals to warn each other about the presence of predators (ADW). The sengi forms monogamous pairs for life (ADW, IUCN, Wikipedia); a pair defends a territory of a few acres (Wikipedia). The female has 1-3 young at a time, 4-5 times a year, throughout the year (ADW). The gestation period lasts 42 days and the reproductive rate is relatively low (IUCN). The mother can gestate and lactate at the same time. The highly precocial young is born with hair, stays in the nest for 2 weeks and is fully weaned by 2 weeks. It follows the mother while she forages. It can survive on its own 5 days after it leaves the nest, but stays with the parents for an extra 5-10 weeks after weaning, while trying to establish its territory. It leaves the parents' supervision when it finds a territory and a mate (ADW). The sengi probably lives for 4-5 years (ADW); a captive lived for 4.5 years (AnAge). The IUCN classifies the sengi in the 'Vulnerable' or 'Near Threatened' threat category (ADW, IUCN). The sengi is probably experiencing loss and fragmentation of forest habitat due to human activities, with an assumed decline in numbers as habitats are degraded and lost (IUCN, Wikipedia). It is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, decline in forested areas and quality of habitats due to human activities (IUCN). Hunting for food may be a localized threat (IUCN). Except for indirect protection in reserves and parks, there are no specific conservation initiatives directed towards the sengi, but efforts to protect primates and antelopes in forest habitats may indirectly benefit it (IUCN). R. c. hendersoni is restricted to an isolated montane forest in Malawi, which may be disappearing due to clearing (IUCN). R. c. cirnei is known from the type specimen from a restricted area in coastal Mozambique (IUCN). R. c. macrurus lives in coastal areas of southern Tanzania and northern Mozambique (IUCN).
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Checkered elephant shrew

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The checkered elephant shrew or checkered sengi (Rhynchocyon cirnei) is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.

Description

Checked elephant shrews will grow to be around 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 in) long, excluding their tail, making them one of the longest elephant shrews. Their average tail length is slightly over 25 centimeters, which is slightly shorter than their body length.[3][4] They commonly weigh around half a kilogram (1.1 pounds), but will sometimes grow to be about 0.7 kg (1.5 lb).[5] Their coat is usually a light to medium brown, but it can range from beige to dark brown. Their back contains alternating chestnut and lighter colors, creating a "checkered" pattern. Checkered elephant shrews also contain stripes on the sides of their body, which have a darker color than most of their body.[3]

Range and habitat

It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and possibly Central African Republic. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.[2]

Behavior

Checkered elephant shrews will mate for life. The pair of them will defend a territory of a few acres.

Diet

The checkered elephant shrew is primarily an insectivore, eating termites, ants, beetles and centipedes. It also will eat mollusks, eggs and small mammals, amphibians and birds.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhynchocyon cirnei.
  1. ^ Schlitter, D.A. (2005). "Order Macroscelidea". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b Hoffmann, M. (2020). "Rhynchocyon cirnei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T19709A166489513. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T19709A166489513.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Rhynchocyon cirnei: INFORMATION". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Elephant shrew". Britannica.com. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Elephant Shrew". African Wildlife Foundation. Retrieved 28 March 2018.

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Checkered elephant shrew: Brief Summary

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The checkered elephant shrew or checkered sengi (Rhynchocyon cirnei) is a species of elephant shrew in the family Macroscelididae.

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