Microgale[1] is a genus of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. There are 21 living species on the island of Madagascar 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 and Dobson's shrew tenrec form a sister group to the rest of Microgale, these two species were transferred from Microgale to Nesogale in 2016.[2]Nesogale and Microgale are estimated to have diverged about 19 million years ago, during the Early Miocene.[2] The web-footed tenrec, M. mergulus, the only semiaquatic member of the genus, was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Limnogale, but was moved in 2016 on the basis of sequence data showing it to be deeply nested within Microgale.[2]
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.
^Goodman, S. M.; Vasey, N.; Burney, D. A. (2007). "Description of a new species of subfossil shrew tenrec (Afrosoricida: Tenrecidae: Microgale) from cave deposits in southeastern Madagascar". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 120 (4): 367–376. doi:10.2988/0006-324X(2007)120[367:DOANSO]2.0.CO;2. S2CID55418982.
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