Gray-bellied caenolestid
- The dental formula includes 46 teeth, and the large lower incisors are used to shear prey, producing a characteristic clicking sound.
- It is neither a true shrew nor a rodent: it has a long snout, coarse dark fur and a long tail, and adult females lack a pouch.
- It prefers places with good cover and high humidity.
- The population has declined by about 20 % since the 1990s because of deforestation and agriculture, and the species is assessed as Near Threatened.
Age
Gray-bellied caenolestids typically live for four years, although the maximum lifespan can reach seven years; the age of sexual maturity ranges from seven months to one year. The species’ development proceeds through two distinct stages: the period from birth to adulthood lasts from one day to three months, and the adult stage spans from three months to four years and eleven months. Young gray-bellied shrew opossums remain in this initial stage for a duration of one to three months. An adult gray-bellied shrew opossum spends from three months to four years and eleven months in the adult stage.
Phenotype
From birth to adulthood, the gray-bellied caenolestid is very small and helpless, attached to its mother’s nipple. The adult gray-bellied shrew opossum has dense short fur that is gray on the back and light gray on the belly. It possesses small rounded ears that capture sounds well, and small eyes with poor vision, as the species relies more on smell. The animal also features a long narrow snout with sensitive vibrissae for finding prey, and a thin long tail that helps maintain balance during movement.
Physiology
Gray-bellied caenolestids measure in body length from 10 to 14 centimeters and weigh from 25 to 45 grams as adults; the species’ young have a body length from 1 to 4 centimeters and a body mass from 1 to 8 grams during the stage from birth to adulthood. The mass of the adult gray-bellied shrew opossum ranges from 25 to 45 grams, while its body length remains from 10 to 14 centimeters.
Habitat
Gray-bellied caenolestids inhabit tropical moist forests, where it is consistently hot and humid, characterized by large trees and vines; the species lives in landscapes including land, highlands and tundra, and mountains. The altitude range for gray-bellied shrew opossums is from 1.5 kilometers to 4 kilometers above sea level. The climate features cool summers, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, and warm winters with little precipitation; rainfall is abundant, and the environment is consistently very wet. Summers are characterized by plentiful rain, and winters are mild and nearly devoid of precipitation.
Shelter
The gray-bellied caenolestid is found under fallen logs, in dense grass, and among rocks; the species does not have a permanent or long-term shelter. The gray-bellied shrew opossum uses its surroundings for protection and rest, and it does not have a fixed den.
Geography
The gray-bellied caenolestid is found within the Neotropics biogeographical region.
Feeding
The gray-bellied caenolestid feeds on small invertebrates that it finds among leaves and soil, gathering and catching its prey through active hunting; its diet includes insects, spiders, centipedes, worms, millipedes, beetles, butterflies, two-winged insects, Hymenoptera, bedbugs, Orthoptera, dragonflies, mayflies, lacewings, ribbon worms, scale insects, and earwigs; the species’ daily food requirement ranges from 5 grams to 12 grams.
Reproduction
Gray-bellied caenolestids inhabit terrestrial environments and develop on land, away from water bodies; the female carries the young in a pouch or in her mouth on land, where they develop. A litter consists of 2 to 4 young, which are very small and attach to nipples, developing on the mother’s body. The species reproduces through homogamy, always involving fertilization and without generation changes. The interval between reproduction is from 3 to 5 months; the female has a litter size of 2 to 4. Sexual maturity occurs from 7 months to 1 year.