Podogymnura aureospinula Heaney & Morgan 1982

26. Dinagat Gymnure Podogymnura aureospinula French: Gymnure de Dinagat / German: Dinagat-Rattenigel / Spanish: Gimnuro de Dinagat Other common names: Dinagat Moonrat, Dinagat Wood Shrew, Golden-spined Moonrat, Spiny Moonrat Taxonomy. Podogymnura aureospinula Heaney & Morgan, 1982, “Plaridel, Albor Municipality, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte Province, Republic of the Philip- pines.” Interpreted by D. R. Frost and colleagues in 1991 as “10°12°N, 125°35’E.” This species is monotypic. Distribution. Dinagat and Bucas Grande Is, S Philippines. Descriptive notes. Head-body 190-211 mm, tail 59-73 mm, ear 22-26 mm, hindfoot 39-42 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Dinagat Gymnure has spiny pelage and is second in size only to the Moonrat in the subfamily Galericinae. Dorsal pelage is short, spinous, golden-brown overall, and composed of three types of hairs: slate-gray underfur ¢.5 mm long; stiff, bristly, or spiny hairs c.15 mm long with black bases, others are golden-yellow, and many have black tips; and black, spiny hairs, c¢.12 mm long. Golden spines are twice as abundant as black hairs in middle of back. Black spines are densest at mid-dorsum, decreasing in abundance laterally, and disappearing on sides. Black-tipped golden spines are especially common on mid-dorsum and disappear on sides. Only golden spines are present on sides. Overall color of dorsum is golden-brown, with black spines and black-tipped golden spines, adding black speckling. Ventral pelage lacks spines and grades evenly from dorsal color to brownish gray over most of venter. Ventral hairs are of two types: soft, gray underfur c.5 mm long and slightly coarser guard hairs ¢.9 mm long, gray at bases, and tipped with pale brown. Pelage of rostrum and around eyes is short, dense, and spiny. Upper and lowerlips are covered in short, moderately dense, white, or pale brown fur. Vibrissae are dark at bases, very pale for most of their lengths, and up to 55 mm long. Rhinarium is long, naked, and distinctly bilobed, with nostrils opening laterally. Ears are relatively large and appear naked, but they have sparse covering of extremely short, white hairs. Forefeet and hindfeet have moderate coverings of short, white, or pale brown hairs dorsally and are nearly naked ventrally. Hindlegs appear almost naked distal to knee. Dorsal base oftail is sparsely furred, nearly naked, and 15 mm in diameter. Tail has sparse covering of short hairs. Dental formula is I 3/3, Cl1l/1,P3/3,M 3/3 (x2) =40. Habitat. Primary and secondary forests. The Dinagat Gymnure is known from a logged area in rolling low hills where there were many patches of remnant dipterocarp forests. These forests contained at least twelve families of plants including Dipterocarpaceae, which dominated the habitat with Anisoptera, Dipterocarpus, Hopea, and Shorea. Undergrowth was mainly rattans (Calamoideae) and ferns. Food and Feeding. Diet of the Dinagat Gymnure contains invertebrates. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. The Dinagat Gymnure is nocturnal. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Dinagat Gymnure is restricted to patches of forested habitats that are being destroyed by logging and slash-and-burn agriculture. Bibliography. Beer (2003), Frost et al. (1991), Heaney & Morgan (1982), Heaney & Rabor (1982), Heaney, Balete et al. (1998), Heaney, Dolar et al. (2010), Hutterer (2005a), Jenkins & Robinson (2002), Nowak (1999), duPont & Rabor (1973), Reeve (1994), Stone (1995b).