''Microgale'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. There are 21 living species on the island of

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

and one extinct species known from a fossil. Some species have been discovered in the last twenty years. On the basis of molecular data indicating that

Talazac's shrew tenrec Talazac's shrew tenrec (''Nesogale talazaci'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist forests. On the basis of molecular data indicating that it and D ...

and

Dobson's shrew tenrec Dobson's shrew tenrec (''Nesogale dobsoni'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist forests, plantations, and heavily degraded former forest. On the bas ...

form a sister group to the rest of ''Microgale'', these two species were transferred from ''Microgale'' to '' Nesogale'' in 2016. ''Nesogale'' and ''Microgale'' are estimated to have diverged about 19 million years ago, during the

Early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...

. The web-footed tenrec, ''M. mergulus'', the only

semiaquatic In biology, semiaquatic can refer to various types of animals that spend part of their time in water, or plants that naturally grow partially submerged in water. Examples are given below. Semiaquatic animals Semi aquatic animals include: * Ve ...

member of the genus, was formerly placed in the

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

genus ''Limnogale'', but was moved in 2016 on the basis of sequence data showing it to be deeply nested within ''Microgale''. ''Microgale'' contains the following extant species: * Short-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. brevicaudata'') – G. Grandidier, 1899 *

Cowan's shrew tenrec Cowan's shrew tenrec (''Microgale cowani'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. Description Cowan's shrew tenrecs weigh an average just over , and have an average length of slightly over . Most specimens are mostly brown, ofte ...

(''M. cowani'') – Thomas, 1882 * Drouhard's shrew tenrec (''M. drouhardi'') – Grandidier, 1934 * Dryad shrew tenrec (''M. dryas'') - Jenkins, 1992 * Pale shrew tenrec (''M. fotsifotsy'') – Jenkins, Raxworthy & Nussbaum, 1997 * Gracile shrew tenrec (''M. gracilis'') – (Major, 1896) * Grandidier's shrew tenrec (''M. grandidieri'') - Olson et al., 2009 * Naked-nosed shrew tenrec (''M. gymnorhyncha'') - Jenkins et al., 1996 * Jenkins's shrew tenrec (''M. jenkinsae'') - Goodman & Soarimalala, 2004 * Northern shrew tenrec (''M. jobihely'') - Goodman, Raxworthy, Maminirina & Olson, 2006 * Lesser long-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. longicaudata'') - Thomas, 1882 * Major's long-tailed tenrec (''M. majori'') - Thomas, 1918 * Web-footed tenrec (''M. mergulus'') - (Major, 1896) * Montane shrew tenrec (''M. monticola'') - Goodman & Jenkins, 1998 * Nasolo's shrew tenrec (''M. nasoloi'') - Jenkins & Goodman, 1999 * Pygmy shrew tenrec (''M. parvula'') - G. Grandidier, 1934 * Greater long-tailed shrew tenrec (''M. principula'') - Thomas, 1926 * Least shrew tenrec (''M. pusilla'') - Major, 1896 *

Shrew-toothed shrew tenrec The shrew-toothed shrew tenrec (''Microgale soricoides'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasi ...

(''M. soricoides'') - Jenkins, 1993 *

Taiva shrew tenrec The taiva shrew tenrec (''Microgale taiva'') is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is endemic to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=n ...

(''M. taiva'') - Major, 1896 * Thomas's shrew tenrec (''M. thomasi'') - Major, 1896 Shrew tenrecs converged on the shrew like body plan these animals also share the same diversity as shrews with web footed tenrecs closely resembling water shrews.

Extinct species

*'' Microgale macpheei'' - subfossil from southeastern

References

* Afrosoricida Mammal genera Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{afrosoricida-stub