A NEW SPECIES OF M1CROGALE 



Table 2 Altitudinal size variation in adult Microgale fotsifotsy. 



Fig. 4 Buccal view of left permanent anterior dentition of Microgale 

 fotsifotsy (UMMZ 168468) 1 1-P2 above. il-p2 below. Scale = 1 mm. 





Altitude 



Altitude 





650m-670m 



850m- 1400m 



Condyloincisive length 



19.8-20.4 



20.0-21.6 





20.1±0.25 



20.8±0.49 





(7) 



(9) 



Upper toothrow length 



9.5-9.9 



9.7-10.6 





9.7+0.15 



10.2±0.28 





(7) 



(9) 



Braincase breadth 



8.5-9.1 



9.0-9.7 





8.9±0.16 



9.5±0.23 





(7) 



(8) 



Ratio of tail length to 



3.5-4.0 



3.6-4.4 



condyloincisive length 



3.8+0.17 



4.0±0.24 





(6) 



(9) 



Fig. 5 Deciduous right anterior dentition of Microgale fotsifotsy (FMNH 

 154529) buccal view of dIl-dP2 above; buccal view middle, lingual 

 view below of di 1 . di2, i3. dp2. Below right lingual view of right m3. 

 Scale = 1 mm. 



altitudes averaging smaller than their counterparts from higher 

 altitudes (see Table 2). 



ETYMOLOGY. Fotsifotsy is Malagasy for pale or whitish. The name 

 is used here as 'the pale one' in reference to the light coloured fore 

 and hind feet and tail tip, as well as the dorsal pelage which is paler 

 than in most other species of Microgale. 



Comparisons with other species. Microgale fotsifotsy differs 

 from other species of Microgale in a number of external and 

 craniodental features. The combination of light body coloration and 

 conspicuously pale coloured feet and tail tip, and the large, pale ears 

 are unique to this species (see Figs 1 and 2). The early stages of the 

 eruption sequence apparently differs from that ascribed toM. cowani 

 and M. pusilla Major, 1 896b by MacPhee ( 1 987) and toM. soricoides 

 Jenkins, 1993. In the sequence common to the three latter species, 13 

 and i3 erupt in the first stage, followed in sequence by P2, p2, p4, and 

 1 1 and i 1 at the end of the second stage. In the specimens available 

 of M. fotsifotsy, the sequence progresses from i3 to 13, to II to il, to 

 p2 then P2, so that, unusually the first upper and lower permanent 

 incisors replace the deciduous teeth before any of the permanent 

 premolars have erupted. Microgale fotsifotsy resembles M. 

 longicaudata Thomas, 1 882 in having elongated cheiridia and fifth 

 digits on the hindfeet and with a tail longer than head and body 

 length; the tail is, however, considerably longer in M. longicaudata 

 than in M. fotsifotsy (ratio of TL to HB 1 .03-1 .3, mean 1 .2 ± 0.08, n 

 = 16 in M. fotsifotsy; 1.7-2.4, mean 2.1 ± 0.22, n = 11 in M 

 longicaudata). Despite some similarities to M. longicaudata in 

 external proportions, the crania of the two species differ markedly. 

 That of M. fotsifotsy is larger and the braincase is relatively broader, 

 shorter and shallower than that of M. longicaudata in which the skull 

 is slightly concave in profile. 



Despite the differences in size and external appearance, the skull 

 of M. fotsifotsy is more similar in overall proportions toM. soricoides 

 than to any other species. The skull of M. fotsifotsy is much smaller 

 and more delicate than that of M. soricoides. The rostrum is much 

 more slender and elongated but the maxillary processes of the 

 zygoma are flared at right angles to the long axis of the cranium in 

 both species, and the braincase is similarly short and broad, although 

 the occipital is proportionately much smaller inM. soricoides. There 

 are also more features common to the dentitions of these two species 

 than to others. In both M. fotsifotsy and M. soricoides, II is robust 

 and somewhat similar in its proportions, but that of M. fotsifotsy is 

 less pro-odont, and a larger cuspid is present on the buccal cingulum. 

 In both species, 12 is very similar in shape and proportions but 13 is 

 less reduced than in M. soricoides, in which P2 is also very reduced, 

 unlike M. fotsifotsy. These two species also differ considerably in the 

 anterior ectostyle of P3 which is distinct in M. fotsifotsy but very 



