This article is about the European shrew species. For the mammal known as the common shrew in parts of North America, see Cinereus shrew.
Common 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:
Sorex
Species:
S. araneus
Binomial name
Sorex araneus
Linnaeus, 1758
Common shrew range
Synonyms
Sorex europaeus
The common shrew (Sorex araneus), also known as the Eurasian shrew, is the most common shrew, and one of the most common mammals, throughout Northern Europe, including Great Britain, but excluding Ireland.[3] It is 55 to 82 millimetres (2.2 to 3.2 in) long and weighs 5 to 12 grams (0.2 to 0.4 oz), and has velvety dark brown fur with a pale underside. It is one of the rare venomous mammals.[4] Juvenile shrews have lighter fur until their first moult. The common shrew has small eyes, a pointed, mobile snout and red-tipped teeth. It has a life span of approximately 14 months.
Shrews are active day and night, taking short periods of rest between relatively long bursts of activity.[5]
^Hutterer, R. (2005). "Order Soricomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^Hutterer, R.; Kryštufek, B. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Sorex araneus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T29661A115170489. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T29661A22315145.en. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
^"Ireland's Pygmy Shrew, one of the world's smallest mammals, under threat from white-toothed invader". BirdWatch Ireland. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
^Kowalski, Krzysztof; Marciniak, Paweł; Rychlik, Leszek (7 June 2022). "A new, widespread venomous mammal species: hemolytic activity of Sorex araneus venom is similar to that of Neomys fodiens venom". Zoological Letters. 8 (1): 7. doi:10.1186/s40851-022-00191-5. PMC 9172195. PMID 35672837. S2CID 249437873.
^Saarikko, Jarmo (1989). "Foraging behaviour of shrews". Annales Zoologici Fennici. 26 (4): 411–423. JSTOR 23734695.
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