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Remarks on the Biology and Zoogeography of Solenodon

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Remarks on the Biology and Zoogeography of Solenodon Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 53 (1): 93-98 — 1983 Remarks on the biology and zoogeography of Solenodon (Atopogale) cubanus Peters, 1861 (Mammalia, Insectivora) by Luis S. Varona Norte 29, Nuevo Vedado, La Habana 6, Cuba Summary INTRODUCTION The biology of Solenodon cubanus Peters, 1861, is poorly 1833 known. and in The insectivore Solenodon Brandt, is Recently, a male two females were studied genus be of the the Havana Zoo and observations on this species were considered to one oldest and most The animals docile unless made in the field as well. were mammals and be basal placental, recent may startled handled infor- or roughly. Previously unpublished indeed. It in called a "living fossil" occurs only mation ontheir morphology, salivary toxicity, gland secre- two forms: in Cuba Solenodon (Atopogale) cubanus tion, feeding habits, activity, predators, living quarters, Peters, 1861, and in Solenodon social behavior, etc., is given. The present geographic Hispaniola distribution is centered in humid forests moun- 1833. On the latter dense, on paradoxus Brandt, some tains of the with relict in eastern provinces populations reliable work has been published, but about the and central and western Cuba. The mongoose (Herpestes ) former little is known. In in the only very fact, that feral dog are potential predators are actually not sym- course of this century, the Cuban Solenodon was with Solenodon. Feral the patric cats pose greatest several times be extinct. nonhuman threat to the continued existence of this most thought to already interesting mammal endemic to Cuba. However, thanks to strict protection laws in Cuba, the declared endangered species man- survive will be shown in this aged to and, as Résumé paper, even covers a geographically larger area than before. Les connaissances sur la biologie de Solenodon cubanus thought mâle The last and Peters, 1861, sont imparfaites. Récemment un et possibly only photographs deux femelles de cette espèce ont été étudiés dans le Zoo de hitherto of Cuban Solenodon published a living La Havane des Solenodon été et observations sur cubanus ont the in 1909 showing entire animal, were taken faites aussi dans la nature. Les animaux se sont montrés by Dr. E. Lönnberg, Stockholm, and published dociles, sauf s’ils étaient effrayés ou lors d’un traitement Mohr Later showed la by (1938). photographs brutal. On présente des informations inédites sur mor- phologie, la toxicité salivaire, les sécrétions glandulaires, le either only parts of living specimens or stuffed lié à la prise de nourriture, l’activité, les with the of in comportement ones, exception a specimen prédateurs, les gîtes utilisés, le comportement social, etc. crouchiner position published by Barbour centrée les forêts den- La distribution géographiqueest sur des orientales de (1944). ses et humides des montagnes provinces Three adult Cuban Solenodons Cuba wild-caught Cuba, des populations relictaires subsistant au cen- les chiens observed in the Havana Garden tral et occidental. La mangouste (Herpestes) et Zoological retournés à l’état sont des basis of adult sauvage prédateurs potentiels form the part of this report. An Solenodon. qui actuellement ne sont sympatriques avec pas male caught 26 April 1974 in Duaba Arriba, Les chats à retournés l’état sauvage représentent le danger province Holgufn, died 29 March 1975 of le de la de l’homme plus grave (menace part exceptée) an la de fort intéressant et digestive problems following endoparasitic pour survie ce mammifère endémi- de faune de Cuba. infection. An adult female from La que la Zoilita, Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 07:30:50AM via free access 94 L. S. VARONA - BIOLOGY OF SOLENODON CUBANUS Sierra del Cristal, Holguin, died 26 months strange humans or conspecifics. The deep pink 1 December 1974. The second faded after removal of the stimuli. after capture on rapidly in 1975 Ar- female was captured July at Mayari riba, Holguin, and died of digestive malfunc- Adaptations and 11 months. first- tion after 6 years The two mentioned individuals are represented in fig. 1. The flexible snout continually moves during animals foraging or when other are present. Along with considerable movement of the long vibrissae, these motions apparently compensate BIOLOGY for the in this micro- presumed poor eyesight phthalmic species. Proboscis involvement with Coloration echolocation as suggested by Eisenberg & Gould individuals and for S. be Color variation is great among (1966) paradoxus could, however, not is age-related (Poey, 1851; Gundlach, 1877; confirmed. Whatever the visual restrictions of Varona, 1974, 1980). Dark brown or black the Cuban species, they do not prevent sides. muzzle characterizes the dorsum and The response to bright light. white and these col- the and shoulders are to yellow Though the elongated snout places buccal extend the flanks and The behind the the ors may over venter. opening considerably nostrils, usually pale-pink proboscis of the male occa- mouth is not restricted. Indeed, when irritated, intensified did the distal when its curls its dor- sionally (as tail) a Solenodonretracts lips, snout the animal stimulated sudden and with bared was by handling, sally, teeth, presents a gape bursts of with similar of noise, light, or confrontation to that marsupials (see fig. 3). During 1. On the left Solenodon cubanus. the hair the heads and Fig. a female, on the right a male of Note long on the tiny eyes. Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 07:30:50AM via free access BIJDRAGEN TOT DE DIERKUNDE, 53 (1) - 1983 95 frequent drinking, the proboscis is held parallel secretions kill injected mice (Rabb, 1959), but ill above the surface of the liquid, which is lapped bites to humans elicit no effects (Mohr, 1937; dog-fashion. Poduschka, 1975). Three reports of S. cubanus muscular tail however. A farmer's from the The is strong but flexible and is conflict, dog prov- with the hind form ince Guantânamo died with unhealed wounds used, along legs, to a tripod the animal sits free the hands after bitten Solenodon. Gundlach on which to for being by a swollen manipulation of objects. Allen's (1910) com- (1877) reported that a man suffered a the tail is mobile and after cubanus bite that ments notwithstanding, arm a S. and he himself be forward from the can brought alongside the body or experienced inflammation of a wound used in supporting the body during climbing, lower (but not upper) incisors of this species. for which the claws A bite hand thumb and fore- long are adapted. to my (between finger) by the male in this study also preceded Salivary toxicity adverse reactions, even though medical atten- is asserted that the lower of S. It second incisors tion was promptly provided. Body temperature ducted whose elevated for week inflammation paradoxus are to maxillary glands a to 38.5-40°C; Fig. 2. Female Solenodon cubanus, captured in 1981 in the Sierra del Cristal, Holguín, and released again at the same site. Downloaded from Brill.com10/04/2021 07:30:50AM via free access 96 L. S. VARONA - BIOLOGY OF SOLENODON CUBANUS spread from the forearm proximally; painful Activity pattern thorax and head were accompanied by S. cubanus is essentially nocturnal, sleeping hypalbuminuria (36%) and increased alpha curled on his side with nose tucked into his ab- (13.4%) and (27.5%) globulin titers. gamma the domen, often with forearms over head. Hematological analysis was negative, but From dusk to dawn, however, the Almiqui in- microbiological examination of the blood searches for available When cessantly any prey. revealed Clostridium (see Anonymus, 1975). threatened or frightened, he rapidly seeks the S. cubanus, like S. paradoxus (see Poduschka, security of a hide-out. 1975), bites rapidly and repeatedly, inflicting considerable subcutaneous damage which is Agonistic behavior slow to heal. If unable to passively defend by retreating to behavior S. its hind and Social and reproduction shelter, cubanus rears upon legs tail. It then strikes out with the sharp foreclaws the male described When captured, here was and bites to either side. Afterwards, it bristles, with female and which a two young were the long dorsal hairs erecting to uncover the Both discarded after being killed by a dog. nearly hairless lower back. The same females were also accompanied when caught; behavioral complex is revealed when fighting the first by a male (killed by a dog) and the sec- conspeciflcs. Confronted with dogs or cats, ond by two juveniles and five others, all of however, the Solenodon flees, unable to suc- which fortunately escaped. A male taken in cessfully repel these introduced adversaries. 1912 near Moa was with four other Solenodons when he his Nevertheless, cornered, snaps at in hiding a cave "like crabs" (Bofill, 1948). S. predators. cubanus thus sociable and the seems young may remain with the for time. parents a protracted Obviously, in the Solenodontidae there is but No one baby (Mohr, 1936; Ottenwalder, 1979). twin known. The births are report on even three babies (Verrill, 1907) is dubious. Feeding As notedby Poey (1851), S. cubanus (the "Almi- quf') consumes large quantities of insects but also takes caterpillars, land crabs, frogs, toads, and bird lizards, snakes, eggs. Chopped meat and other food is eaten by captive animals, but diarrhea. Tubers refused. Fig. 3. Male Solenodon cubanus in state of defense. Note the may cause are Meat curved proboscis and the raised vibrissae. hidden under 7.5 cm of earth was detected, un- covered, and eaten. The male studied here sniffed food of- any Skin glands fered, while undulating his trunk. Large items held down with the A S. were foreclaws while popular common name for cubanus is "Ber- dismembered and eaten. Favorite foods were renchin", and indeed, their odor resembles Columba that of male This odor is Anolis, eggs, Hyla, roaches (Periplaneta), weakly goats.
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