One of the 2 solenodons on WAnimals
Mammals · Eulipotyphla · Solenodontidae
Hispaniolan Solenodon
Solenodon paradoxus
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
The Hispaniolan solenodon is an insectivore endemic to the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and one of only two living solenodons alongside the Cuban species. It has a long, flexible snout with which it roots for invertebrates in the soil and in crevices, powerful claws for digging and venomous saliva. Its lineage is one of the oldest among placental mammals. Dogs, cats and mongooses introduced to the island are today its main threat.
Weight
600 g – 1.1 kg
Size
28 cm – 33 cm
Lifespan
11 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Fun facts
- fisiologíaIt is one of the few venomous mammals: it injects toxic saliva through a specialised groove in its lower incisors.
- historia naturalIt is one of the few living mammals whose lineage has come down practically unchanged from the age of the dinosaurs.
- It injects venomous saliva through a groove in its lower incisors: it is one of the very few venomous mammals in the world, alongside the platypus and the slow lorises.
- Its lineage split from the rest of the placental mammals more than seventy million years ago: it survived the extinction that ended the dinosaurs and is today threatened by domestic cats.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Moist and dry forest, karst scrub and plantations on the island of Hispaniola
- Sexual maturity
- 2.3 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 50 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 2
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenodon_paradoxus
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Hispaniolan Solenodon — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Hispaniolan Rhinoceros Iguana
Cyclura cornuta
Cuvier's Hutia
Plagiodontia aedium
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus jamaicensis
Cuban Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
Cuban Treefrog
Osteopilus septentrionalis
Hispaniola Boa
Chilabothrus striatus
How to help
The hispaniolan solenodon is classified as endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 2 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about hispaniolan solenodon.
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