Largest species of elephant shrew

Discovered in March 2006 in two high-altitude forest blocks in the mountains of south-central Tanzania, the world''s largest species of elephant shrew or sengi is the grey-faced elephant shrew Rhynchocyon udzungwensis. Weighing approximately 700 g (1 lb 68 oz), it is more than 25% heavier than any previously known sengi species. Confined entirely to Africa and known as elephant shrews on account of their long trunk-like snout and superficial resemblance to true shrews, sengis are now known to constitute a totally separate taxonomic order of mammals more closely related to elephants, sea cows, and aardvarks than to true shrews. With a bright chestnut-red body and grey face, as well as its large size, this new species is very distinctive, making its late discovery by science all the more surprising.