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