Gymnure

Gymnures, sometimes called hairy hedgehogs, are primarily carnivorous mammals belonging to the subfamily Galericinae under the order Eulipotyphla. They resemble rodents in having slim bodies with long muzzles and slender limbs. However, phylogenetically, they are most closely related to hedgehogs of the subfamily Erinaceinae.

Currently, there are 15 extant species of gymnures grouped under 6 genera. They are distributed across the forests of Southeast Asia, including China, Sumatra, Vietnam, the Malayan Peninsula, and the Philippines.

Description

Size

Most gymnures range from 3.5 to 5.9 in (9 to 15 cm) in body length, weighing around 1.6 oz (45 gm). However, the largest of all species, the moonrat (Echinosorex gymnura), measures up to 17.7 in (45 cm) in length and weighs as much as 3 lb (1.4 kg).

Body Plan

Gymnures superficially resemble rats, shrews, and opossums and are believed to have retained the primitive body plan of the earliest mammals. Their slim bodies are complemented by a large head that measures about one-third of their total body length. They have long, slender limbs and feet, as well as a short tail that ranges from one-fifth to half the length of their body. Although their tails appear hairless, they are covered with sparse fur.

A notable feature of these mammals is their long, protruding muzzle, ending in a flexible snout. They also have large eyes and nearly hairless ears.

Their soft, dense fur ranges in color from olive to rusty brown, with lighter, grayish, or yellowish underparts. Some species feature a distinctive black stripe running along their back.

Despite being close relatives of hedgehogs, gymnures do not have spines like them.

Taxonomy

Currently, 15 species of gymnures are classified under 6 genera.

• Genus: Echinosorex
  • Species: Echinosorex gymnura (Moonrat)
• Genus: Hylomys
  • Species: Hylomys parvus (Dwarf gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys suillus (Javan short-tailed gymnure or lesser gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys dorsalis (Bornean short-tailed gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys maxi (Max’s short-tailed gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys macarong (Dalat gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys peguensis (Northern short-tailed gymnure)
  • Species: Hylomys vorax (Leuser gymnure)
• Genus: Neohylomys
  • Species: Neohylomys hainanensis (Hainan gymnure)
• Genus: Neotetracus
  • Species: Neotetracus sinensis (Shrew gymnure)
• Genus: Otohylomys
  • Species: Otohylomys megalotis (Long-eared gymnure)
• Genus: Podogymnura
  • Species: Podogymnura aureospinula (Dinagat gymnure)
  • Species: Podogymnura intermedia (Eastern Mindanao gymnure)
  • Species: Podogymnura minima
  • Species: Podogymnura truei (Mindanao gymnure)

Distribution and Habitat

These mammals are found in the forests of Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, Vietnam, China, the Malayan Peninsula, and the Philippines.

• Gymnures of the genera Hylomys, Neohylomys, and Neotetracus are found in the tropical lowland rainforests and mountain forests of Asia, thriving on the forest floor. 
• The lesser gymnure (Hylomys suillus) ranges from the offshores of continental Southeast Asia to Tioman Island and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
• The dwarf gymnure (Hylomys parvus) inhabits slopes of about 9,800 ft in the mountains of Sumatra, while the shrew gymnure (Neotetracus sinensis) resides in damp mountain forests of China, Myanmar, and Vietnam at elevations of about 1,000 to 9,000 ft.
• The long-eared gymnure (Otohylomys megalotis) is found in central Laos, whereas the Hainan gymnure (Neohylomys hainanensis) is native to the Hainan Island of China.
• The Mindanao gymnure (Podogymnura truei) lives in the mountains of Mindanao, while the Dinagat gymnure (Podogymnura aureospinula) is restricted to Dinagat Island and the Siargao Islands.

Diet

Gymnures are mainly carnivorous, feeding on arthropods, amphibians, tiny reptiles, and mice. They also occasionally consume fruits and fungi.

Behavior

• These animals are nocturnal or crepuscular, foraging mostly at night or during twilight. They walk on their toes (plantigrade locomotion), using their snout to smell the surroundings. The snout is also used to toss aside leaf litter and debris while foraging.
• Although gymnures are generally solitary, they aggregate during mating. They also maintain territories, marking them with secretions from their scent glands.

Lifespan

Though most species have an average lifespan of 2 years, the Mindanao gymnure lives up to 55 months.

Conservation Status

In the IUCN Red List, the dwarf gymnure is listed as Vulnerable (VU), while both the Hainan gymnure and the Dinagat gymnure are considered Endangered (EN). Currently, all other species have been listed as Least Concern (LC).

Interesting Facts

1. Gymnures produce a pungent odor, often compared to the smell of stinky garlic or onions, from secretions of their scent glands. 
2. They have about a month-long gestation, following which the females give birth to at least one litter of about one to three young every year.