象鼩目 Macroscelidea

象鼩目（Macroscelidea）,源自希臘文 μακρός (makros,「大」),希臘文 σκελός (skelos,「腿」),意思是「大腿」,指這些動物的腿細長,與體型比例類似大象的腿.

Macroscelidea, from Greek μακρός (makros, “large”), and Greek word σκελός (skelos, “leg”), meaning “large legs”, refers to the long, slender legs of these animals, which resemble those of elephants in proportion to their body size.

種的俗名 Common names of members

象鼩.

Elephant shrews.

分佈 Distribution

非洲地區.

Africa.

體型 Size

尺寸範圍：長度 10 - 30 公分,重量 50 - 500 克.

Size varies: small silky anteater: 35 cm, sloths: 50-70 cm, giant anteater: 180 cm long

形態描述 Morphology

這些小型的四足動物有著有鱗片的尾巴、長鼻子、大眼睛和耳朵,以及與牠們的體型相比相對較長的腿,很像齧齒動物或負鼠,習慣像兔子一樣活動.

With scaly tails, long snouts, large eyes and ears, and relatively lengthy legs for their size, these small, quadrupeds resemble rodents or opossums and are used to moving around like rabbits.

生態與棲息地 Habitat & Ecology

幾乎任何類型的棲息地,從巨石遍佈的露頭、乾燥的草原、石漠到茂密的森林.

Almost any type of habitat, from boulder-strewn outcrops, dry steppes and stone deserts to thick forests.

食性 Diet

牠們的主要食物包括蚯蚓、蜘蛛、蜈蚣和千足蟲.

Their primary diet consists of earthworms, spiders, centipedes, and millipedes.

繁殖 Reproduction

雄性會試圖驅趕競爭對手,而雌性則驅趕其他雌性.他們以配偶為單位生活,但伴侶之間並不真正關心彼此；他們之所以與異性交往,僅僅是為了繁殖.牠們甚至有各自的巢穴,社會行為並不常見.幼仔——一到兩隻——在出生時發育良好,幾小時內就能跑動.

Males attempt to ward off rival males, while females drive other females away. They live in couples, but the partners don't really care for one another; the only reason they even associate with the other sex is to procreate. They even have separate nests, and social behaviors are uncommon. The young — one or two — are well-developed at birth and can run in a matter of hours.