Visualize this scenario: it’s 1976 at Camden’s electric ballroom. The Sex Pistols are on stage, bringing “British anarchy” to a pogo mosh pit filled with punk rockers. The floor is sticky with lager, the air heavy with attitude, and in the midst of it all, a Tenrek with a striped lowland pattern blending in…
Imagine an animal perfectly fitting into a Sex Pistols concert – that would be the lowland striped Tenrec. This small mammal from Madagascar’s rainforest sports a yellow quill crown reminiscent of John Lydon.
With stripes running along its black body, the Tenrec can raise its spines as a defense mechanism. For instance, non-receptive females may use these sharp spines to ward off unwanted advances. Even predators like snakes and fossas are cautious around these punk rockers of the animal kingdom.
Similar to Lydon, the lowland striped Tenrec is a bit of a musician itself. It has quills on its back that vibrate when the muscles contract, producing high-pitched sounds for communication. This makes them unique among mammals.
There are 36 varieties of Tenrecs, all part of the family Tenecidae. They vary in size, with the lowland striped Tenrec being breakfast sausage-sized. Despite their appearance, they are closely related to elephants and sea cows due to their evolutionary history.
Living in large family groups, lowland striped Tenrecs are social animals that use their long noses to forage for earthworms and invertebrates. This behavior helps make earthworms more active and easier to detect.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
