Etruscan shrew

Species of mammal

Etruscan shrew[1]

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]

Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Eulipotyphla
Family:  | Soricidae
Genus:  | Suncus
Species:  |

S. etruscus

Binomial name
Suncus etruscus

(Savi, 1822)

Etruscan Shrew range
(blue — native, black — probably extant origin uncertain)

The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew or the white-toothed pygmy shrew, is the smallest known extant mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 g (0.063 oz) on average.[3][4][5][6][7] (The bumblebee bat is regarded as the smallest mammal by skull size and body length.[3][8])

The Etruscan shrew has a body length of about 4 cm (1.6 in) excluding the tail. It is characterized by very rapid movements and a fast metabolism, eating about 1.5–2 times its own body weight per day. It feeds on various small vertebrates and invertebrates, mostly insects, and can hunt individuals of the same size as itself. These shrews prefer warm and damp climates and are widely distributed in the belt between 10° and 30°N latitude stretching from Europe and North Africa up to Malaysia. They are also found in the Maltese islands, situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.[2][5] Although widespread and not threatened overall, they are generally uncommon and are endangered in some countries.

## Description[edit]

The Etruscan shrew has a slender (not truncated) body, with a length between 3 and 5.2 cm (1.2 and 2.0 in) excluding the tail, which adds another 2.4 to 3.2 cm (0.94 to 1.26 in).[9] The body mass varies between 1.3 g (0.046 oz)[8] and 2.5 g (0.088 oz)[4][9] and is usually about 1.8 g (0.063 oz).[3] In comparison, the related greater white-toothed shrew can be twice as long and weighs four to five times more.[9] The head is relatively large, with a long, mobile proboscis, and the hind limbs are relatively small.[10] The ears are relatively large and protuberant.[9] The Etruscan shrew has a very fast heart beating rate, up to 1511 beats/min (25 beats/s) and a relatively large heart muscle mass, 1.2% of body weight.[3] The fur color on the back and sides is pale brown, but is light gray on the stomach. The fur becomes denser and thicker from fall through the winter.[9] The shrew usually has 30 teeth, but the 4th upper intermediate tooth is very small (rudimentary), and is absent in some individuals.[6] Near the mouth grow a dense array of short whiskers, which the shrew actively uses to search for prey, especially in the night.[7] Dimorphism in body features between males and females is absent.[10]

## Activity[edit]

Etruscan shrews live alone except during mating periods. Their lifespan is estimated at typically around two years, but with a large uncertainty.[9][11] They protect their territories by making chirping noises and signs of aggressiveness.[12] They tend to groom themselves constantly when not eating, and are always moving when awake and not hiding. The hiding periods are short, and typically last less than half an hour. Clicking sounds are heard when these shrews are moving, which cease when they rest.[10] The shrews are more active during the night when they make long trips; during the day, they stay near the nest or in a hiding place.[6] They reach their maximum level of activity at dawn.[2]

Due to its small size and consequent high surface-area-to-volume ratio, the Etruscan shrew is at a constant risk of hypothermia, and would quickly freeze to death if not for its extremely rapid metabolism. Its skeletal muscles contract at a rate of about 13 contractions/sec during respiration alone. In cold seasons and during shortages of food, the shrews lower their body temperatures down to about 12 °C (54 °F) and enter a state of temporary hibernation to reduce energy consumption. Recovery from this state is accompanied by shivering at a frequency of 58 muscle contractions/sec.[3] This induces heating at a rate of up to 0.83 °C/min, which is among the highest values recorded in mammals; the heart rate increases exponentially with time from 100 to 800–1200 beats/min, and the respiratory rate rises linearly from 50 to 600–800 breaths/min.[4]

Etruscan shrews mate primarily from March to October, though they can be pregnant at any time of the year. Pairs usually form in the spring and may tolerate each other and their young for some time at the nest. The gestation period is 27–28 days, and they have 2–6 cubs per litter.[2][9] Cubs are born naked and blind, weighing only 0.2 g (0.0071 oz). After their eyes open at 14 to 16 days old, they mature quickly. The mother usually moves the young when they are 9 to 10 days old, and if disturbed, she relocates them by leading them with her tail in a train-like formation, with each cub biting the tail of the one in front. The young Etruscan shrews are weaned at 20 days old. By three to four weeks of age, the young are independent and are soon sexually mature.[5][9][10]

## Distribution[edit]

The Etruscan shrew inhabits a belt extending between 10° and 40°N latitude across Eurasia.[3] In Southern Europe, it has been found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey, with unconfirmed reports in Andorra, Gibraltar and Monaco; it has been introduced by humans to some European islands, such as Canary Islands.[2]

The shrew also occurs in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia) and around the Arabian Peninsula (Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, and Yemen including Socotra). In Asia, it was observed in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China (Gengma County only), Burma, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia (Malaysian part of Borneo island), Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. There are unconfirmed reports of the Etruscan shrew in West and East Africa (Guinea, Nigeria, Ethiopia) and in Armenia, Brunei, Indonesia, Kuwait and Uzbekistan.[1][5]

Overall the species is widespread and not threatened, but its density is generally lower than of the other shrews living in the area.[2] In some regions it is rare, especially in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Jordan and Kazakhstan (included into the Red Book).[5]

## Habitat[edit]

The Etruscan shrew favors warm and damp habitats covered with shrubs, which it uses to hide from predators. Areas where open terrain such as grasslands and scrub meet deciduous forests are usually inhabited.[9] It can be found at sea level but is usually confined to the foothills and lower belts of mountain ranges, though has been found up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level.[9] It colonizes riparian thickets along the banks of lakes and rivers, as well as human-cultivated areas (abandoned gardens, orchards, vineyards, olive groves and edges of fields). The shrew, however, avoids intensively cultivated areas, as well as dense forests and sand dunes.[2] It is poorly adapted to digging burrows, so it arranges its nests in various natural shelters, crevices and others' uninhabited burrows.[5][6] They frequent rocks, boulders, stone walls and ruins, darting quickly in and out between them.[9]

## Hunting and feeding[edit]

Because of its high ratio of surface area to body volume, the Etruscan shrew has an extremely fast metabolism and must eat 1.5–2.0 times its body weight in food per day. It feeds mostly on various invertebrates, including insects, larvae and earthworms, as well as the young of amphibians, lizards and rodents, and can hunt prey of nearly the same body size as itself. It prefers species with a soft, thin exoskeleton, so it avoids ants when given a choice. Grasshoppers, where common, are often regular prey.[9] It kills large prey by a bite to the head and eats it immediately, but takes small insects back to its nest.[5][6][7] When hunting, it relies mostly on its sense of touch rather than vision, and may even run into its food at night.[10]

## Predators and threats[edit]

The largest threat to Etruscan shrews originates from human activities, particularly destruction of their nesting grounds and habitats as a result of farming. Etruscan shrews are also sensitive to weather changes, such as cold winters and dry periods.[5] Major predators are birds of prey.[6][10]

## See also[edit]

* Smallest organisms

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 258\. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. direct link
2. ^ a b c d e f g Aulagnier, S.; Hutterer, R.; Jenkins, P.; Bukhnikashvili, A.; Kryštufek, B.; Kock, D. (2017). "Suncus etruscus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T90389138A22288134. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T90389138A22288134.en. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
3. ^ a b c d e f Jürgens, Klaus D. (2002). "Etruscan shrew muscle: the consequences of being small". The Journal of Experimental Biology. 205 (Pt 15): 2161–2166. doi:10.1242/jeb.205.15.2161. PMID 12110649.
4. ^ a b c Fons R.; Sender S.; Peters T.; Jürgens K. D. (1997). "Rates of rewarming, heart and respiratory rates and their significance for oxygen transport during arousal from torpor in the smallest mammal, the Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus". Journal of Experimental Biology. 200 (Pt 10): 1451–1458. doi:10.1242/jeb.200.10.1451. PMID 9192497.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Suncus etruscus, Red Book of Kazakhstan (in Russian)
6. ^ a b c d e f "Белозубка карликовая (Suncus etruscus)". ours-nature.ru (in Russian).
7. ^ a b c Brecht, Michael; Roth-Alpermann, Claudia (2009). "Vibrissal touch in the Etruscan shrew". Scholarpedia. 4 (11): 6830. Bibcode:2009SchpJ...4.6830R. doi:10.4249/scholarpedia.6830.
8. ^ a b Bloch, Jonathan I.; Rose, Kenneth D.; Gingerich, Philip D. (1998). "New species of Batodonoides (Lipotyphla, Geolabididae) from early eocene of Wyoming: Smallest known mammal". Journal of Mammalogy. 79 (3): 804–827. doi:10.2307/1383090. JSTOR 1383090.
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Macdonald, D.W.; Barrett, P. (1993). Mammals of Europe. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-09160-9.
10. ^ a b c d e f Suncus etruscus. White-toothed pygmy shrew University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology
11. ^ Longevity Records. Table 1. Record Life Spans (years) of Mammals Archived 2006-10-06 at the Wayback Machine. Demogr.mpg.de. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
12. ^ Stone, R. David (1995) Eurasian insectivores and tree shrews: status survey and conservation action plan, IUCN, p. 30. ISBN 2-8317-0062-0

## External links[edit]

* Videos of Etruscan shrew attacks

* v
* t
* e

Extant species of Eulipotyphla

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Mammalia
* Infraclass: Eutheria
* Superorder: Laurasiatheria

* Family: Erinaceidae
* subfamily: Erinaceinae

| Atelerix|

* Four-toed hedgehog (A. albiventris)
* North African hedgehog (A. algirus)
* Southern African hedgehog (A. frontalis)
* Somali hedgehog (A. sclateri)

|

Erinaceus|

* Amur hedgehog (E. amurensis)
* Southern white-breasted hedgehog (E. concolor)
* West European hedgehog (E. europaeus)
* Northern white-breasted hedgehog (E. roumanicus)

Hemiechinus|

* Long-eared hedgehog (H. auritus)
* Indian long-eared hedgehog (H. collaris)

Mesechinus|

* Daurian hedgehog (M. dauuricus)
* Hugh's hedgehog (M. hughi)

Paraechinus|

* Desert hedgehog (P. aethiopicus)
* Brandt's hedgehog (P. hypomelas)
* Indian hedgehog (P. micropus)
* Bare-bellied hedgehog (P. nudiventris)

* Family: Erinaceidae
* subfamily: Galericinae

| Echinosorex|

* Moonrat (E. gymnura)

|

Hylomys|

* Long-eared gymnure (H. megalotis)
* Dwarf gymnure (H. parvus)
* Short-tailed gymnure (H. suillus)

Neohylomys|

* Hainan gymnure (N. hainanensis)

Neotetracus|

* Shrew gymnure (N. sinensis)

Podogymnura|

* Dinagat gymnure (P. aureospinula)
* Mindanao gymnure (P. truei)

* Family: Soricidae
* subfamily: Crocidurinae

| Crocidura
(White-toothed
shrews)|

* Cyrenaica shrew (C. aleksandrisi)
* East African highland shrew (C. allex)
* Andaman shrew (C. andamanensis)
* C. annamitensis
* Ansell's shrew (C. ansellorum)
* Arabian shrew (C. arabica)
* Jackass shrew (C. arispa)
* Armenian shrew (C. armenica)
* Asian gray shrew (C. attenuata)
* Hun shrew (C. attila)
* Bailey's shrew (C. baileyi)
* Kinabalu shrew (C. baluensis)
* Batak shrew (C. batakorum)
* Bates's shrew (C. batesi)
* Mindanao shrew (C. beatus)
* Beccari's shrew (C. beccarii)
* Bottego's shrew (C. bottegi)
* Bale shrew (C. bottegoides)
* Thick-tailed shrew (C. brunnea)
* Buettikofer's shrew (C. buettikoferi)
* African dusky shrew (C. caliginea)
* Canarian shrew (C. canariensis)
* Caspian shrew (C. caspica)
* Cinderella shrew (C. cinderella)
* Congo white-toothed shrew (C. congobelgica)
* C. cranbrooki
* Long-footed shrew (C. crenata)
* Crosse's shrew (C. crossei)
* Reddish-gray musk shrew (C. cyanea)
* Dent's shrew (C. denti)
* Desperate shrew (C. desperata)
* Dhofar shrew (C. dhofarensis)
* Long-tailed musk shrew (C. dolichura)
* Doucet's musk shrew (C. douceti)
* Dsinezumi shrew (C. dsinezumi)
* Eisentraut's shrew (C. eisentrauti)
* Elgon shrew (C. elgonius)
* Elongated shrew (C. elongata)
* Heather shrew (C. erica)
* Fischer's shrew (C. fischeri)
* Greater red musk shrew (C. flavescens)
* Flower's shrew (C. floweri)
* Bornean shrew (C. foetida)
* Fox's shrew (C. foxi)
* Southeast Asian shrew (C. fuliginosa)
* Savanna shrew (C. fulvastra)
* Smoky white-toothed shrew (C. fumosa)
* Bicolored musk shrew (C. fuscomurina)
* Glass's shrew (C. glassi)
* Gmelin's white-toothed shrew (C. gmelini)
* Goliath shrew (C. goliath)
* Peters's musk shrew (C. gracilipes)
* Large-headed shrew (C. grandiceps)
* Greater Mindanao shrew (C. grandis)
* Grasse's shrew (C. grassei)
* Luzon shrew (C. grayi)
* Greenwood's shrew (C. greenwoodi)
* C. guy
* Harenna shrew (C. harenna)
* C. hikmiya
* Hildegarde's shrew (C. hildegardeae)
* Hill's shrew (C. hilliana)
* Lesser red musk shrew (C. hirta)
* Andaman spiny shrew (C. hispida)
* Horsfield's shrew (C. horsfieldii)
* Hutan shrew (C. hutanis)
* North African white-toothed shrew (C. ichnusae)
* Indochinese shrew (C. indochinensis)
* Jackson's shrew (C. jacksoni)
* Jenkins's shrew (C. jenkinsi)
* Jouvenet's shrew (C. jouvenetae)
* Katinka's shrew (C. katinka)
* Ke Go shrew (C. kegoensis)
* Kivu shrew (C. kivuana)
* Lamotte's shrew (C. lamottei)
* Kivu long-haired shrew (C. lanosa)
* Ussuri white-toothed shrew (C. lasiura)
* Latona's shrew (C. latona)
* Sulawesi shrew (C. lea)
* Sumatran giant shrew (C. lepidura)
* Bicolored shrew (C. leucodon)
* Sulawesi tiny shrew (C. levicula)
* Butiaba naked-tailed shrew (C. littoralis)
* Savanna swamp shrew (C. longipes)
* Lucina's shrew (C. lucina)
* Ludia's shrew (C. ludia)
* Moonshine shrew (C. luna)
* Mauritanian shrew (C. lusitania)
* MacArthur's shrew (C. macarthuri)
* MacMillan's shrew (C. macmillani)
* Nyiro shrew (C. macowi)
* Malayan shrew (C. malayana)
* Manenguba shrew (C. manengubae)
* Makwassie musk shrew (C. maquassiensis)
* Swamp musk shrew (C. mariquensis)
* Gracile naked-tailed shrew (C. maurisca)
* Javanese shrew (C. maxi)
* Mindoro shrew (C. mindorus)
* Sri Lankan long-tailed shrew (C. miya)
* Kilimanjaro shrew (C. monax)
* Sunda shrew (C. monticola)
* Montane white-toothed shrew (C. montis)
* West African long-tailed shrew (C. muricauda)
* Mossy forest shrew (C. musseri)
* Ugandan musk shrew (C. mutesae)
* Somali dwarf shrew (C. nana)
* Savanna dwarf shrew (C. nanilla)
* Peninsular shrew (C. negligens)
* Negros shrew (C. negrina)
* Nicobar shrew (C. nicobarica)
* Nigerian shrew (C. nigeriae)
* Blackish white-toothed shrew (C. nigricans)
* Black-footed shrew (C. nigripes)
* African black shrew (C. nigrofusca)
* Nimba shrew (C. nimbae)
* Niobe's shrew (C. niobe)
* West African pygmy shrew (C. obscurior)
* African giant shrew (C. olivieri)
* Oriental shrew (C. orientalis)
* Ryukyu shrew (C. orii)
* Palawan shrew (C. palawanensis)
* Panay shrew (C. panayensis)
* Sumatran long-tailed shrew (C. paradoxura)
* Small-footed shrew (C. parvipes)
* Sahelian tiny shrew (C. pasha)
* Pale gray shrew (C. pergrisea)
* Guramba shrew (C. phaeura)
* C. phanluongi
* Phu Hoc shrew (C. phuquocensis)
* Cameroonian shrew (C. picea)
* Pitman's shrew (C. pitmani)
* Flat-headed shrew (C. planiceps)
* Fraser's musk shrew (C. poensis)
* Polia's shrew (C. polia)
* Kashmir white-toothed shrew (C. pullata)
* Rainey's shrew (C. raineyi)
* Negev shrew (C. ramona)
* Chinese white-toothed shrew (C. rapax)
* Egyptian pygmy shrew (C. religiosa)
* Sulawesi white-handed shrew (C. rhoditis)
* Roosevelt's shrew (C. roosevelti)
* Greater white-toothed shrew (C. russula)
* Ugandan lowland shrew (C. selina)
* Lesser rock shrew (C. serezkyensis)
* Asian lesser white-toothed shrew (C. shantungensis)
* Siberian shrew (C. sibirica)
* Sicilian shrew (C. sicula)
* Lesser gray-brown musk shrew (C. silacea)
* Desert musk shrew (C. smithii)
* Sokolov's shrew (C. sokolovi)
* Somali shrew (C. somalica)
* Kahuzi swamp shrew (C. stenocephala)
* Lesser white-toothed shrew (C. suaveolens)
* Iranian shrew (C. susiana)
* Tanzanian shrew (C. tansaniana)
* Tarella shrew (C. tarella)
* Saharan shrew (C. tarfayensis)
* Telford's shrew (C. telfordi)
* Timor shrew (C. tenuis)
* Thalia's shrew (C. thalia)
* Therese's shrew (C. theresae)
* São Tomé shrew (C. thomensis)
* Christmas Island shrew (C. trichura)
* Turbo shrew (C. turba)
* Ultimate shrew (C. ultima)
* Usambara shrew (C. usambarae)
* Savanna path shrew (C. viaria)
* Mamfe shrew (C. virgata)
* Voi shrew (C. voi)
* Voracious shrew (C. vorax)
* Banka shrew (C. vosmaeri)
* Lesser Ryukyu shrew (C. watasei)
* Whitaker's shrew (C. whitakeri)
* Wimmer's shrew (C. wimmeri)
* Hainan Island shrew (C. wuchihensis)
* Xanthippe's shrew (C. xantippe)
* Yankari shrew (C. yankariensis)
* Mikhail Zaitsev's shrew (C. zaitsevi )
* Zaphir's shrew (C. zaphiri)
* Zarudny's rock shrew (C. zarudnyi)
* Upemba shrew (C. zimmeri)
* Cretan shrew (C. zimmermanni)

|

* Family: Soricidae
* subfamily: Crocidurinae (continued)

| Diplomesodon|

* Piebald shrew (D. pulchellus)

|

Feroculus|

* Kelaart's long-clawed shrew (F. feroculus)

Palawanosorex|

* Palawan moss shrew (P. muscorum)

Paracrocidura
(Large-headed
shrews)|

* Grauer's large-headed shrew (P. graueri)
* Greater large-headed shrew (P. maxima)
* Lesser large-headed shrew (P. schoutedeni)

Ruwenzorisorex|

* Ruwenzori shrew (R. suncoides)

Scutisorex|

* Hero shrew (S. somereni)
* Thor's hero shrew (S. thori)

Solisorex|

* Pearson's long-clawed shrew (S. pearsoni)

Suncus|

* Taita shrew (S. aequatorius)
* Black shrew (S. ater)
* Day's shrew (S. dayi)
* Etruscan shrew (S. etruscus)
* Sri Lankan shrew (S. fellowesgordoni)
* Bornean pygmy shrew (S. hosei)
* Least dwarf shrew (S. infinitesimus)
* Greater dwarf shrew (S. lixus)
* Madagascan pygmy shrew (S. madagascariensis)
* Malayan pygmy shrew (S. malayanus)
* Climbing shrew (S. megalura)
* Flores shrew (S. mertensi)
* Asian highland shrew (S. montanus)
* Asian house shrew (S. murinus)
* Remy's pygmy shrew (S. remyi)
* Anderson's shrew (S. stoliczkanus)
* Lesser dwarf shrew (S. varilla)
* Jungle shrew (S. zeylanicus)

Sylvisorex
(Forest shrews)|

* Dudu Akaibe’s pygmy shrew (S. akaibei)
* Cameroonian forest shrew (S. cameruniensis)
* Corbet's forest shrew (S. corbeti)
* Grant's forest shrew (S. granti)
* Howell's forest shrew (S. howelli)
* Bioko forest shrew (S. isabellae)
* Johnston's forest shrew (S. johnstoni)
* Kongana shrew (S. konganensis)
* Moon forest shrew (S. lunaris)
* Mount Cameroon forest shrew (S. morio)
* Greater forest shrew (S. ollula)
* Lesser forest shrew (S. oriundus)
* Rain forest shrew (S. pluvialis)
* Volcano shrew (S. vulcanorum)

* Family: Soricidae
* subfamily: Soricinae

| Anourosoricini|

| Anourosorex
(Asian mole shrews)|

* Assam mole shrew (A. assamensis)
* Giant mole shrew (A. schmidi)
* Chinese mole shrew (A. squamipes)
* Taiwanese mole shrew (A. yamashinai)

|

Blarinellini|

| Blarinella
(Asiatic short-tailed
shrews)|

* Indochinese short-tailed shrew (B. griselda)
* Asiatic short-tailed shrew (B. quadraticauda)
* Burmese short-tailed shrew (B. wardi)

|

Blarinini|

| Blarina
(American short-tailed
shrews)|

* Northern short-tailed shrew (B. brevicauda)
* Southern short-tailed shrew (B. carolinensis)
* Elliot's short-tailed shrew (B. hylophaga)
* Everglades short-tailed shrew (B. peninsulae)
* Sherman's short-tailed shrew (B. shermani)

|

Cryptotis
(Small-eared
shrews)|

C. mexicana group
Mexican small-eared shrew (C. mexicana)
Nelson's small-eared shrew (C. nelsoni)
Grizzled Mexican small-eared shrew (C. obscura)
Phillips' small-eared shrew (C. phillipsii)

C. goldmani set
Central Mexican broad-clawed shrew (C. alticola)
Goldman's broad-clawed shrew (C. goldmani)
Goodwin's broad-clawed shrew (C. goodwini)
Guatemalan broad-clawed shrew (C. griseoventris)
C. lacertosus
C. mam
Oaxacan broad-clawed shrew (C. peregrina)

C. nigrescens group
Eastern Cordillera small-footed shrew (C. brachyonyx)
Colombian small-eared shrew (C. colombiana)
Honduran small-eared shrew (C. hondurensis)
Yucatan small-eared shrew (C. mayensis)
Darién small-eared shrew (C. mera)
Merriam's small-eared shrew (C. merriami)
Blackish small-eared shrew (C. nigrescens)

C. thomasi group
Ecuadorian small-eared shrew (C. equatoris)
Medellín small-eared shrew (C. medellinia)
Merida small-eared shrew (C. meridensis)
Wandering small-eared shrew (C. montivaga)
Peruvian small-eared shrew (C. peruviensis)
Scaly-footed small-eared shrew (C. squaipes)
Tamá small-eared shrew (C. tamensis)
Thomas's small-eared shrew (C. thomasi)

C. parva group
Central American least shrew (C. orophila)
North American least shrew (C. parva)
Tropical small-eared shrew (C. tropicalis)

Ungrouped / relict
Enders's small-eared shrew (C. endersi)
Talamancan small-eared shrew (C. gracilis)
Big Mexican small-eared shrew (C. magna)

Nectogalini|

| Chimarrogale
(Asiatic water
shrews)|

* Malayan water shrew (C. hantu)
* Himalayan water shrew (C. himalayica)
* Bornean water shrew (C. phaeura)
* Japanese water shrew (C. platycephalus)
* Chinese water shrew (C. styani)
* Sumatran water shrew (C. sumatrana)

|

Chodsigoa|

* Van Sung's shrew (C. caovansunga)
* De Winton's shrew (C. hypsibia)
* Lamulate shrew (C. lamula)
* Lowe's shrew (C. parca)
* Pygmy brown-toothed shrew (C. parva)
* Salenski's shrew (C. salenskii)
* Smith's shrew (C. smithii)
* Lesser Taiwanese shrew (C. sodalis)

Episoriculus|

* Hodgsons's brown-toothed shrew (E. caudatus)
* Taiwanese brown-toothed shrew (E. fumidus)
* Long-tailed brown-toothed shrew (E. leucops)
* Long-tailed mountain shrew (E. macrurus)

Nectogale|

* Elegant water shrew (N. elegans)

Neomys|

* Mediterranean water shrew (N. anomalus)
* Eurasian water shrew (N. fodiens)
* Transcaucasian water shrew (N. teres)

Soriculus|

* Himalayan shrew (S. nigrescens)

Notiosoricini|

| Megasorex|

* Mexican shrew (M. gigas)

|

Notiosorex|

* Cockrum's gray shrew (N. cockrumi)
* Crawford's gray shrew (N. crawfordi)
* Large-eared gray shrew (N. evotis)
* Villa's gray shrew (N. villai)

* Family: Soricidae
* subfamily: Soricinae (tribe: Soricini)

| Sorex
(Long-tailed
shrews)|

| Subgenus
Otisorex|

* Long-tailed shrew (S. dispar)
* Smoky shrew (S. fumeus)
* American pygmy shrew (S. hoyi)
* Large-toothed shrew (S. macrodon)
* Carmen mountain shrew (S. milleri)
* Dwarf shrew (S. nanus)
* Mexican long-tailed shrew (S. oreopolus)
* Orizaba long-tailed shrew (S. orizabae)
* Ornate shrew (S. ornatus)
* Inyo shrew (S. tenellus)
* Verapaz shrew (S. veraepacis)

S. vagrans complex
Glacier Bay water shrew (S. alaskanus)
Baird's shrew (S. bairdii)
Marsh shrew (S. bendirii)
Montane shrew (S. monticolus)
New Mexico shrew (S. neomexicanus)
Pacific shrew (S. pacificus)
American water shrew (S. palustris)
Fog shrew (S. sonomae)
Vagrant shrew (S. vagrans)

S. cinereus group
Kamchatka shrew (S. camtschatica)
Cinereus shrew (S. cinereus)
Prairie shrew (S. haydeni)
Saint Lawrence Island shrew (S. jacksoni)
Paramushir shrew (S. leucogaster)
Southeastern shrew (S. longirostris)
Mount Lyell shrew (S. lyelli)
Portenko's shrew (S. portenkoi)
Preble's shrew (S. preblei)
Pribilof Island shrew (S. pribilofensis)
Olympic shrew (S. rohweri)
Barren ground shrew (S. ugyunak)

|

Subgenus
Sorex|

* Dneper common shrew (S. averini)
* Lesser striped shrew (S. bedfordiae)
* Greater stripe-backed shrew (S. cylindricauda)
* Chinese highland shrew (S. excelsus)
* Azumi shrew (S. hosonoi)
* Chinese shrew (S. sinalis)
* Alaska tiny shrew (S. yukonicus)

S. alpinus group
Alpine shrew (S. alpinus)
Ussuri shrew (S. mirabilis)

S. araneus group
Valais shrew (S. antinorii)
Common shrew (S. araneus)
Udine shrew (S. arunchi)
Crowned shrew (S. coronatus)
Siberian large-toothed shrew (S. daphaenodon)
Iberian shrew (S. granarius)
Caucasian shrew (S. satunini)

S. arcticus group
Arctic shrew (S. arcticus)
Maritime shrew (S. maritimensis)

S. tundrensis group
Tien Shan shrew (S. asper)
Gansu shrew (S. cansulus)
Tundra shrew (S. tundrensis)

S. minutus group
Buchara shrew (S. buchariensis)
Kozlov's shrew (S. kozlovi)
Caucasian pygmy shrew (S. volnuchini)

S. caecutiens group
Laxmann's shrew (S. caecutiens)
Taiga shrew (S. isodon)
Eurasian least shrew (S. minutissimus)
Eurasian pygmy shrew (S. minutus)
Flat-skulled shrew (S. roboratus)
Shinto shrew (S. shinto)
Long-clawed shrew (S. unguiculatus)

S. gracillimus group
Slender shrew (S. gracillimus)

S. raddei group
Radde's shrew (S. raddei)

S. samniticus group
Apennine shrew (S. samniticus)

incertae sedis|

* Arizona shrew (S. arizonae)
* Zacatecas shrew (S. emarginatus)
* Merriam's shrew (S. merriami)
* Kashmir pygmy shrew (S. planiceps)
* Saussure's shrew (S. saussurei)
* Sclater's shrew (S. sclateri)
* San Cristobal shrew (S. stizodon)
* Tibetan shrew (S. thibetanus)
* Trowbridge's shrew (S. trowbridgii)
* Chestnut-bellied shrew (S. ventralis)
* Veracruz shrew (S. veraecrucis)

* Family: Soricidae
* subfamily: Myosoricinae

| Congosorex
(Congo shrews)|

* Phillips's shrew (C. phillipsorum)
* Greater Congo shrew (C. polli)
* Lesser Congo shrew (C. verheyeni)

|

Myosorex
(Mouse shrews)|

* Babault's mouse shrew (M. babaulti)
* Montane mouse shrew (M. blarina)
* Bururi forest shrew (M. bururiensis)
* Dark-footed mouse shrew (M. cafer)
* Eisentraut's mouse shrew (M. eisentrauti)
* Geata mouse shrew (M. geata)
* Nyika mouse shrew (M. gnoskei)
* Kihaule's mouse shrew (M. kihaulei)
* Long-tailed forest shrew (M. longicaudatus)
* Oku mouse shrew (M. okuensis)
* Rumpi mouse shrew (M. rumpii)
* Schaller's mouse shrew (M. schalleri)
* Sclater's mouse shrew (M. sclateri)
* Thin mouse shrew (M. tenuis)
* Forest shrew (M. varius)
* Kilimanjaro mouse shrew (M. zinki)

Surdisorex
(African mole
shrews)|

* Aberdare mole shrew (S. norae)
* Mount Kenya mole shrew (S. polulus)

* Family: Talpidae

| Scalopinae
(New World moles
and relatives)|

| Condylura|

* Star-nosed mole (C. cristata)

|

Parascalops|

* Hairy-tailed mole (P. breweri)

Scalopus|

* Eastern mole (S. aquaticus)

Scapanulus|

* Gansu mole (S. oweni)

Scapanus
(Western North
American moles)|

* Broad-footed mole (S. latimanus)
* Coast mole (S. orarius)
* Townsend's mole (S. townsendii)

Talpinae
(Old World moles
and relatives)|

| Desmana|

* Russian desman (D. moschata)

|

Dymecodon|

* True's shrew mole (D. pilirostris)

Euroscaptor|

* Greater Chinese mole (E. grandis)
* Kloss's mole (E. klossi)
* Long-nosed mole (E. longirostris)
* Himalayan mole (E. micrura)
* Small-toothed mole (E. parvidens)
* Vietnamese mole (E. subanura)

Galemys|

* Pyrenean desman (G. pyrenaicus)

Mogera|

* Echigo mole (M. etigo)
* Insular mole (M. insularis)
* Kano mole (M. kanoana)
* Kobe mole (M. kobeae)
* Small Japanese mole (M. imaizumii)
* Large mole (M. robusta)
* Sado mole (M. tokudae)
* Japanese mole (M. wogura)
* Senkaku mole (M. uchidai)

Neurotrichus|

* American shrew mole (N. gibbsii)

Oreoscaptor|

* Japanese mountain mole (O. mizura)

Parascaptor|

* White-tailed mole (P. leucura)

Scaptochirus|

* Short-faced mole (S. moschatus)

Scaptonyx|

* Long-tailed mole (S. fusicaudus)

Talpa|

* Altai mole (T. altaica)
* Aquitanian mole (T. aquitania)
* Blind mole (T. caeca)
* Caucasian mole (T. caucasica)
* European mole (T. europaea)
* Père David's mole (T. davidiana)
* Levant mole (T. levantis)
* Martino's mole (T. martinorum)
* Spanish mole (T. occidentalis)
* Ognev's mole (T. ognevi)
* Roman mole (T. romana)
* Balkan mole (T. stankovici)
* Talysch mole (T. talyschensis)

Urotrichus|

* Japanese shrew mole (U. talpoides)

Uropsilinae
(Chinese shrew-like
moles)|

Uropsilus

* Equivalent-teeth shrew mole (U. aequodonenia)
* Anderson's shrew mole (U. andersoni)
* Black-backed shrew mole (U. atronates)
* Dabie Mountains shrew mole (U. dabieshanensis)
* Gracile shrew mole (U. gracilis)
* Inquisitive shrew mole (U. investigator)
* Snow Mountain shrew mole (U. nivatus)
* Chinese shrew mole (U. soricipes)

|

* Family: Solenodontidae

| Atopogale|

* Cuban solenodon (A. cubana)

|

Solenodon|

* Hispaniolan solenodon (S. paradoxus)

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q369889
* Wikispecies: Suncus etruscus
* ADW: Suncus_etruscus
* BioLib: 20531
* BOLD: 969332
* CoL: 53G5S
* EoL: 1178715
* Fauna Europaea: 305507
* Fauna Europaea (new): 9990efc2-11a8-4882-bccd-9457f2c353fc
* GBIF: 2435506
* iNaturalist: 46518
* IRMNG: 11007966
* ITIS: 633726
* IUCN: 29671
* MSW: 13700270
* NCBI: 109475
* uBio: 106976

|

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