Pygmy shrew  (Sorex minutus)

Description

As both the common and scientific names suggest (minutus means small), the pygmy shrew is tiny (2), in fact it is the smallest native British shrew (4). It has a pointed snout and greyish-brown fur that becomes paler on the underside (2). Compared to other species of British shrews, the pygmy shrew has a relatively longer, hairier tail (4). Like other shrews of the genus Sorex, this species has red-tipped teeth, formed by the deposition of iron, which toughens them against wear-and-tear (4).