the trunk-jumpers is a group of day-active desert-inhabitants. they are to be hardly compared in the shape with other animal-forms. They were considered long one of the order of the insectivores (Insectivora), however since some time one places it on the basis of its peculiarities into an independent order, that only the a family of the trunk-jumpers contains. This is subdivided in 2 subfamilies, the giant-elephant-shrews or Rüsselhündchen (Rhynchocyoninae) with 3 types and the elephant-shrews (Macroscelidinae) with approximately 12 types.
Shape The trunk-jumpers are between barely 10 cm and well 30 cm long, a tail of 8 to over 25 cm adds on top of this. The biggest types are the Rüsselhündchen, the smallest of the short-ear-trunk-jumpers and the elephant-shrews.
The most conspicuous one about the shape of the trunk-jumpers is the thin movable trunk. it can upward or below, is led to the side or in circle-movements. The Rüsselhündchen (type Rhynchocyon) have the longest trunk.
The body of the elephant-shrews admittedly is mouse-like, however is the legs more powerfully and the head quite differently molded. it leads into the mentioned short, slate pencil-shaped trunk and is very high at the neck-base. it resembles an equilateral triangle, in whose center the button-good eye lies, from the side. The hind legs are little extended small one, the heels lie very highly. The metarsal is strongly extended, without however an actual Hüpfbein, as with the Springmäusen to form.
Quite exceptionally, the Rüsselhündchen look. they are high-more legged than its cousin and have one somewhat slimmer bodies. Head, muzzle and trunks moved out long. The nose succeeds the ground despite the long legs also in standing without the head specifically would have to be lowered.
Habitat The trunk-jumpers prefer dry terrain and desert-zones. The short-ear-trunk-jumper (Macroscelides proboscideus) lives in southwest-Africa and in the cape-province, in rocky mountain-regions or in sand-fields and thornbush-steppes. How Springrüßler finished, it is mainly near crevices, caves or other hiding places in order to take cover fast with danger.
The trunk-rats prefer thickets and populate also the dense bush or forest, Z. B. the forest-trunk-rat (Petrodromus sultan). Erdbaue frequently are positioned by them. Trunk-rats are widespread over the entire southern half of the African continents.
The elephant-shrews live in dry thornbush-steppes and grassland, but also light forests with dense undergrowth, Z. B. the short-nose-trunk-jumper (Nasalio brachyrhynchus), or mountains and lowlands with sandy or rocky areas (type Elephantulus). they populated whole Africa with its different types.
Forest-areas, but also grassland and tube-continuances are preferred by the Rüsselhündchen (type Rhynchocyon). they come south from the Congo and from Kenya as far as after Moçambique before.
Way of life The trunk-jumpers are predominantly day-active. Only if it becomes day too hot or if day-active robbers, like for example the gripping-birds, get out of hand in the area, the activity-periods in the twilight-hours are transferred.
A part of the trunk-jumpers is socially alive. The short-nose-trunk-jumper (Nasalio brachyrhynchus) lives on the other hand as a hermit. The short-ear-trunk-jumper (Macroscelides proboscideus) prefers the monogamy. The elephant-shrews live socially, in small groups or colonies.
All trunk-jumpers hide in any Unterschlupfen, holes or caves. Sometimes, Erdbaue of other types of animal become taken on or own holes positioned. The Rüsselhündchen pad natural caves.
Most trunk-jumpers have an easily jumping locomotion-manner. Only the Rüsselhündchen run and jump very fast through the undergrowth. It makes an almost nervous impression, if such a little animal, snoops around everywhere, hastily - and herläuft. Noses and ears are in permanent movement. Continuously, they hand over quiet quiekende sounds. Also the other trunk-jumpers squeal or does, as the trunk-rats, sounds, that remind of chirping from crickets.
Food The trunk-jumpers live mainly from insects, but also from roots and berries.
The short-ear-trunk-jumper looks for insects, particularly ants and termites, from crannies or columns and is also in the position thanks to its good face-sense of attaining flying loot. The bigger Rüsselhündchen carry off small mammals and birds and pick up also eggs or snails. But also different insects, especially big bugs, are eaten by the Rüsselhündchen. Beside the short-ear-trunk-jumpers, also the elephant-shrews live preferred from ants and termites.
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