Cuban solenodon

The Cuban solenodon or almiquí (Atopogale cubana) is a small, furry, shrew-like mammal endemic to mountainous forests on Cuba. It is the only species in the genus Atopogale. An elusive animal, it lives in burrows and is only active at night when it uses its unusual toxic saliva to feed on insects. The solenodons (family Solenodontidae), native to the Caribbean, are one of only a few mammals that are venomous.

Cuban solenodon
Specimen at the Bronx Zoo, 1913
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Solenodontidae
Genus: Atopogale
Cabrera, 1925
Species:
A. cubana
Binomial name
Atopogale cubana
(Peters, 1861)
Cuban solenodon range
Synonyms
  • Solenodon cubanus

The Cuban solenodon is endangered and was once considered extinct due to its rarity. It and the Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus) are the only surviving solenodon species; the others are extinct.

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