Kelaart's Long-clawed Shrew
Encyclopedia
Kelaart's Long-clawed Shrew (Feroculus feroculus) is a species of mammal
in the family Soricidae. It is monotypic
within the genus Feroculus. It is endemic to Sri Lanka
and southern India
. Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
s, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland
, and swamp
s. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The species is named for zoologist Edward Frederick Kelaart
.
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
in the family Soricidae. It is monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
within the genus Feroculus. It is endemic to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, and swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The species is named for zoologist Edward Frederick Kelaart
Edward Frederick Kelaart
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Frederick Kelaart was a Ceylonese-born physician and naturalist.Kelaart was of Dutch and German heritage, and served in the Ceylon Medical Service. He was a staff assistant surgeon in Gibraltar from 1843 to 1845, later transferred to Ceylon. He was an active member of the...
.