otter shrew
-
What is an otter shrew?
The otter shrew belongs to the subfamily Potamogalinae. They are carnivorous, tropical African insectivores, but not considered "true" shrews.
All otter shrews are nocturnal, denning in cavities and burrows in stream banks with underwater tunnel entrances. Otter shrews have small eyes and ears and a fleshy, broad, flat muzzle covered with sensitive whiskers. The margins of their hind feet have skin fringes, and their second and third toes are fused.
The giant otter shrew ( Potamogale velox) resembles a river otter but is smaller, while the two dwarf species (Micropotamogale), the Ruwenzori otter shrew (M. ruwenzorii) and the Nimba otter shrew (M. lamottei), are more shrewlike in appearance.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where do otter shrews live?
Otter shrews, belonging to the subfamily Potamogalinae, are native to tropical Africa. The giant otter shrew has the widest distribution, ranging from Nigeria south to Angola and east to the Rift Valley, living at altitudes from sea level up to 1,800 metres. The Nimba otter shrew is exclusive to the Nimba Range region of western Africa. The Ruwenzori otter shrew is confined to the Ruwenzori region of Uganda and Zaire.
These otter shrews inhabit both lowland and montane tropical rainforests. Giant otter shrews can be found in fast-flowing mountain streams, large, fast rivers, sluggish coastal streams, and swamps. The dwarf otter shrews prefer fast-flowing streams and small rivers in forests, savannas, and cultivated fields.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What does an otter shrew look like?
The otter shrew is an African insectivore that is not a true shrew. They are nocturnal, denning in cavities and burrows in stream banks with underwater tunnel entrances. Otter shrews have small eyes and ears and a broad, flat muzzle covered in sensitive whiskers. The margins of their hind feet have skin fringes, and their second and third toes are fused.
The giant otter shrew resembles a river otter, with a body 27 to 33 cm long and a slightly shorter tail, weighing less than 400 grams. The two dwarf species are more shrewlike, with bodies 12 to 20 cm long and shorter tails, weighing 60 to 150 grams. The giant and Ruwenzori otter shrews have brown upperparts and white or yellowish underparts, while the Nimba shrew is uniformly brownish gray.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How are otter shrews different from true otters and shrews?
Otter shrews, of the subfamily Potamogalinae, are tropical African insectivores that are not "true" shrews (family Soricidae). They are related to the tenrecs of Madagascar.
All otter shrews are nocturnal, denning in cavities and burrows in stream banks with underwater tunnel entrances. They have small eyes and ears and a fleshy, broad, flat muzzle covered with sensitive whiskers. The margins of their hind feet have fringes of skin, and their second and third toes are fused. Their water-repellent fur is soft and dense.
The giant otter shrew ( Potamogale velox) has the body form, fur texture, and coloration of a river otter, but is smaller. The two dwarf species (Micropotamogale), the Ruwenzori otter shrew (M. ruwenzorii) and the Nimba otter shrew (M. lamottei), are more shrewlike in appearance.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What do otter shrews eat and how do they find their food?
Otter shrews are carnivorous tropical African insectivores that are not true shrews. The giant otter shrew eats freshwater crabs, aquatic mollusks, aquatic insect larvae and nymphs, fish, and frogs. The dwarf otter shrews eat earthworms, aquatic insect larvae and nymphs, and also prey on small crabs, fish, and frogs.
Otter shrews catch prey underwater but usually eat on shore. The giant water shrew prefers freshwater crabs, which it flips over and kills with a quick bite, then tears the soft underside to get at the flesh.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
otter shrew, (subfamily Potamogalinae), any of three species of amphibious and carnivorous tropical African insectivores that are not “true” shrews (family Soricidae). All are nocturnal and den in cavities and burrows in stream banks; tunnel entrances are underwater. Otter shrews have small eyes and ears and a fleshy broad, flat muzzle that ends in a leathery pad. The muzzle is covered abundantly with sensitive whiskers. The margins of the hind feet have fringes of skin, and the second and third toes are fused.
The giant otter shrew (Potamogale velox) has the body form, fur texture, and coloration of a river otter but is smaller. It weighs less than 400 grams (0.9 pound) and has a body 27 to 33 cm (11 to 13 inches) long and a slightly shorter tail. More shrewlike in appearance are the two dwarf species (genus Micropotamogale), the Ruwenzori otter shrew (M. ruwenzorii) and the Nimba otter shrew (M. lamottei), which weigh 60 to 150 grams and have a body 12 to 20 cm long and a shorter tail. The water-repellent fur of all three is soft and dense. The feet are webbed in the Ruwenzori otter shrew but unwebbed in the other two species. The giant and Ruwenzori otter shrews have brown upperparts and white or yellowish underparts; the Nimba shrew is uniformly brownish gray. The tails of the three species differ. The giant otter shrew has a vertically flat, finely furred tail; the Ruwenzori’s is round with stiff hairs forming keels on the upper and lower surfaces; and that of the Nimba otter shrew is simply round.
The giant water shrew is fast, propelling itself through the water with side-to-side movements of its back and tail in a sinusoidal motion. The hind feet are held tightly against the tail, and this results in a streamlined body configuration. The dwarf shrews use their feet to swim and dive, and they often float on the surface, buoyed by their fur. Prey is caught underwater but usually is eaten on shore. The giant water shrew prefers freshwater crabs, which it flips over and kills with a quick bite. The shrew then tears the soft underside to get at the flesh. Aquatic mollusks, aquatic insect larvae and nymphs, fish, and frogs are also eaten. The dwarf otter shrews prefer earthworms and aquatic insect larvae and nymphs, but they also prey on small crabs, fish, and frogs. Giant water shrews give birth to one or two offspring; dwarf water shrews produce one to four.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
The giant water shrew has the broadest distribution, occurring in central Africa from Nigeria south to Angola and east to the Rift Valley, from sea level to 1,800 metres (5,900 feet). The Nimba shrew is known only from the Nimba Range region of western Africa. The Ruwenzori shrew is restricted to the Ruwenzori region of Uganda and Zaire. All inhabit lowland and montane tropical rainforests. The giant otter shrew is found in fast-flowing mountain streams, large, fast rivers, sluggish coastal streams, and swamps. Dwarf otter shrews are associated with mountain and lowland fast-flowing streams and small rivers in forests, savannas, and cultivated fields.
Otter shrews make up a subfamily (Potamogalinae) of the family Tenrecidae (order Soricimorpha), which belongs to a larger group of mammals referred to as insectivores. The otter shrews’ closest living relatives are the tenrecs of Madagascar, particularly the amphibious tenrec (Limnogale mergulus).