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(85) Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus,
1758)
(86) Neomeris phocaenoides (Cuvier,
1829)
Order Insectivors
Great Blue Whale
Black Finless Porpoise
Small sized primitive mammals mainly nocturnal in habit, in this
order, include the Tupaias or Tree Shrews, hedgehogs, shrews and moles.
The tree shrews (Family Tupaiidae) unlike other insectivora, are
largely diurnal. Two races of the speciesAnathara elliotiof the monotypic
genusAnathana, restricted to the peninsula occur in Maharashtra.Anathana
ellioti wroughtoniLyon 1913 in the heavy rainfall forests of the Konkan
andAnathana ellioti pallidaLyon 1913 in the deciduous forests of the
Vidarbha region. This species is squirrel-like in habit and size but is easily
distinguished by its long snout, and uniform grizzled brown colour. Singly
or in pairs in undergrowth in forests. Feeds mainly on insects and perhaps
fruits. The Vidarbha race is said to associate with babblers. Tree shrews
have several characters in common with primates and are now usually
grouped with them.
The occurrence of hedgehogs (Family Erinaceidae) in Maharashtra
rests on the evidence of two skins from Poona of the Indian Hedgehog
(Paraechinus micropus). Hedgehogs probably occur in Marathwada
districts as well as in north-western Vidarbha. The largest of Indian
insectivores, they are distinguished by the spiny back and sides. In defence
the animal rolls itself into a ball, the retracted head and limbs being
completely covered by the spiny mantle of the back. An inhabitant of dry,
plains country, the hedgehog is a solitary animal and spends the day in
burrows varying in length from 12 to 24 inches under bushes. The food is
predominantly insects.
The shrews (Family soricidae) are represented by the Common or
Grey Musk shrew (Suncus murinus), a commensal of man often mistaken
for a rat. The soft grey fur and long snout are distinctive. A musky odour is
FAUNA 599