Dwarf Gymnure (Hylomys parvus)

The Dwarf Gymnure

The Dwarf Gymnure (Hylomys parvus) is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Gymnures are cousins of the hedgehog, sometimes called furred hedgehogs, and are insectivores. The Dwarf Gymnure was first discovered in 1918, but it was not considered a valid species until it was more fully studied in 1994. Now, it is in danger because it is in a very limited location, and its habitat is rapidly being cleared. Little is known about the Dwarf Gymnure, partially because of their scarcity and the remoteness of their location. They do intermix with the Lesser Gymnure, however, in the lower parts of the moss forest that they live in, and their appearance is very similar to the Lesser Gymnure.

Interesting Fact: Gymnures and hedgehogs have been noted to be modern animals that are most similar to the very earliest mammals.

The Dwarf Gymnure has only been located on Mount Kerinci, which is on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. They live in a moss forest at the peak of the mountain. A moss forest is a high-elevation rainforest where the trees and ground are covered in a thick carpet of moss. Lesser Gymnures use regularly-traveled paths on their hunts for food, and they usually build themselves a nest on the forest floor in a pile of leaves or under a rock. They are good climbers, but they appear to stay on the ground as much as possible and can be very speedy when they are threatened.

The Dwarf Gymnure slightly resembles a hedgehog, but it has soft, silky fur rather than spines. They are small animals, with the length, not including a 1/2 to 1 inch (12-30 mm) long tail, only being about 4-5 inches (105-146 mm). The weight is uncertain and has been reported at 45-80 gm and 15-20 gm. The fur is a rust-brown color that verges to gray or yellow on its underbelly. It also has a long snout. The gymnure, especially the Lesser Gymnure, has an associated foul odor, especially when they feel threatened.

Gymnures are insectivores, meaning that they eat invertebrates, mostly insects. Lesser Gymnures have been noted to eat earthworms and insects, and they may also eat fruit for extra supplementation. They appear to have home ranges that are approximately 40 meters in diameter, and they can be seen foraging at infrequent times throughout the day and night. They find their food by rummaging through the leaves and other litter on the forest floor with their mobile snout.

It is estimated that gymnures in the wild are able to live about two years. There doesn’t seem to be any specific part of the year that is prime for breeding as they have been noted to breed throughout the year. The gestation period is approximately 30-35 days, and the mother gymnure can give birth to litters of two to three babies at a time. They are noted to be relatively solitary creatures, but sometimes are found in very small groups, with only two or three animals together at once.

Further Information on the Dwarf Gymnure:

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Bibliography:
Hedgehog. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
Eurasian Insectivores and Tree Shrews. Accessed on August 16, 2004 at http://members.vienna.at/shrew/itsesAP95-erinaceidae.html.
ADW: Erinaceidae: Information. Accessed at August 16, 2004 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Erinaceidae.html.
Insectivora; Erinaceidae; Hylomys: Lesser Gymnure. Accessed at August 16, 2004 at http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/walkers_mammals_of_the_world/insectivora/insectivora.erinaceidae.hylomys.html.