Pygmy shrew  (Sorex minutus)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

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

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