Gray-bellied Shrew Opossum
Caenolestes caniventer
Conservation Status
Near ThreatenedMammalia · Paucituberculata · Caenolestidae
About
The gray-bellied caenolestid, or grey-bellied shrew opossum, is a shrew opossum found in humid, temperate forests and moist grasslands of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. It was first described by American zoologist Harold Elmer Anthony in 1921. Little is known about the behavior of the gray-bellied caenolestid. It appears to be terrestrial (land-living) and crepuscular or nocturnal. Diet consists of invertebrate larvae, small vertebrates and plant material. The IUCN classifies the gray-bellied caenolestid as near threatened.
Fun Fact
Analysis of stomach contents of individuals from Peru suggested a diet comprised largely (up to 75%) by invertebrate larvae (such as arachnids and centipedes); small vertebrates and plant material are also consumed.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Found in humid, temperate forests and moist grasslands of western Ecuador and northwestern Peru.
Diet
Diet consists of invertebrate larvae, small vertebrates and plant material.
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Hunting and Collection
- Climate Change