Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec

Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec

species

Observations0

With reduced eye size, visual cues are not thought to be very important to these animals. Microgale relies mainly on tactile, chemical, and auditory communication. Vocal communication ranges from a soft squeak to a trill. Wails are associated with submissive behavior. Squeaks are used when animals are in a defensive mode, and a buzzing is often produced during attacks. Tactile communication includes nose to nose contact, nose to ear, nose to genital region, as well as full body rubbing. Chemical communication may be involved in the practice of saliva spreading, which has been observed in tenrecs. Although there is little research on chemical communication in these animals, it is thought that chemical signals are also involved when the Microgale touches its nose to glandular areas on its body, such as the ear, forehead, or cloaca. Communication Channels: tactile ; acoustic ; chemical Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

via IUCN