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tenrec (TEN-rek) - n., any of several species of small insectivorous mammals (family Tenrecidae) of Madacascar resembling shrews or hedgehogs.
Just as Australia has marsupial versions of placental mammals from around the world, so does Madagascar have their own analogues from other families -- compare lemurs to monkeys and tenrecs to rodents. They are cute and funky. Borrowed around 1785 from French, which borrowed it in turn from Malagasy tàndraka.
And that wraps it up for 5 x 6 week.
---L.
Just as Australia has marsupial versions of placental mammals from around the world, so does Madagascar have their own analogues from other families -- compare lemurs to monkeys and tenrecs to rodents. They are cute and funky. Borrowed around 1785 from French, which borrowed it in turn from Malagasy tàndraka.
And that wraps it up for 5 x 6 week.
---L.
