Mammals of the WorldMadras Treeshrew
Anathana ellioti
- Order
- Scandentia
- Family
- Tupaiidae
- Genus
- Anathana
- IUCN status
- LC
- Distribution
- India
- Realm
- Indomalaya
Other names: Indian Treeshrew
About this species
- Size
- Head and body 16–18.5cm; tail 16.5–19.5cm
- Diet
- Omnivorous: insects and seeds
- Habitat
- Hill forest and rocky terrain
- Range
- Endemic to India: hill forests of central and southern India, south of the Ganges
The Madras treeshrew, or Indian treeshrew, is the only species in its genus. It is 16–18.5 cm long with a tail of 16.5–19.5 cm, reddish brown above in the nominate race, with buff or ochraceous feet and hind legs. Its genus name comes from the Tamil moongil anathaan, bamboo squirrel, and the species is named after Sir Walter Elliot of the Madras civil service (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives in the hill forests of central and southern India, south of the Ganges. Its teeth suit an omnivorous diet. It is not particularly arboreal and spends much of its time on the ground or scrambling over rocky terrain looking for insects and seeds. The crested hawk-eagle has been known to prey on it (Wikipedia, general species account).
Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)