The Lowland Streaked Tenrec (Hemicentetes semispinosus) is a small tenrec found in Madagascar. The species is found in tropical lowland rain forest, in the northern and eastern parts of Madagascar. It is active during day and night and their diet is made up primarily of earthworms. However, they will sometimes prey on other invertebrates as well. They may be seen stamping their feet on the ground with their fore-paws, believed to increase earthworm activity for easier foraging. Most tenrecs possess a long snout for poking around in the ground to find their food. They are also capable of eating fruits.
Breeding takes place during October to December and possibly at other times, depending upon local food supply and temperature. The gestation period lasts 58 days, and the female gives birth to usually between 5 and 8 young. The young are weaned at 18 to 25 days.
Lowland streaked tenrecs have hard keratinous quills located in the mid-dorsal region that act as a sounding device and is thought to be used for communication between mother and young and/or a warning signal to predators. Movement of these quills causes the tips to rub together and create a high frequency sound. These quills are located in a small area of the mid-dorsal region in a group of 7 to 16 arranged in 3 rows. The arrangement and number of quills does not alter during growth and neither does the length. The circumference of the quills however, does change from juvenile to adult.
When an individual is aggravated a defense response is produced by erecting its quills laterally and forward and produces sound when the quills vibrate. Lowland streaked tenrecs have a highly developed sense of smell and this response along with foot stamping is also produced when the odor of a predator is detected. This display additionally occurs when males fight for females and when unfamiliar males come across one another. Female encounters however, have tactile contact and then increase the distance between each other. The streaked tenrec is the only mammal known to use stridulation for generating sound, a method more commonly associated with insects and snakes.