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Solenodontidae
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Solenodontidae

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Solenodons (; from Ancient Greek σωλήν (sōlḗn), meaning "channel, pipe", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth") are venomous, nocturnal, burrowing, insectivorous mammals belonging to the family Solenodontidae . The two living solenodon species are the Cuban solenodon (Atopogale cubana) and the Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus). Threats to both species include habitat destruction and predation by non-native cats, dogs, and mongooses, introduced by humans to the solenodons' home islands to control snakes and rodents.

Wikidata facts

Instance of
monotypic taxon
Parent taxon
Eulipotyphla
Image
Hispaniolan Solenodon crop.jpg
Show 4 more facts
taxon name
Solenodontidae
taxon rank
family
topic's main category
Category:Solenodontidae
Commons category
Solenodontidae
Sources (1)

via Wikidata · CC0

~12 min read

Encyclopedic overview

13 sections
Contents
  • Taxonomy
  • Extant species
  • Characteristics
  • Reproduction
  • Behavior
  • Status
  • Cuba
  • Haiti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Conservation
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Solenodons (; from Ancient Greek σωλήν (sōlḗn), meaning "channel, pipe", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth") are venomous, nocturnal, burrowing, insectivorous mammals belonging to the family Solenodontidae . The two living solenodon species are the Cuban solenodon (Atopogale cubana) and the Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus). Threats to both species include habitat destruction and predation by non-native cats, dogs, and mongooses, introduced by humans to the solenodons' home islands to control snakes and rodents.

The Hispaniolan solenodon covers a wide range of habitats on the island of Hispaniola from lowland dry forest to highland pine forest. Two other described species became extinct during the Quaternary period. Oligocene North American genera, such as Apternodus, have been suggested as relatives of Solenodon, but the origins of the animal remain obscure.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Solenodontidae” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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