Mammal Classification
Insectivores
More than 400 species in 65 genera are collected into the seven families of the order Insectivora. Mostly small and mobile, the members of this order represent a diverse collection of shrews, moles, hedgehogs, moonrats, tenrecs and solenodons. All have long, narrow snouts and a refined sense of smell to help them find and root out insects. Some also eat small animals such as worms, crabs, frogs and even fish.
For the most part, insectivores have small brains, little eyes with limited vision, and short limbs that prohibit leaping or jumping. They range in size from the pygmy shrew (Suncus etruscus), which measures barely 2 inches (5 cm) long from the top of its head to the tip of its tail and weighs about 0.7 ounces (2 g), to the moonrat, which grows up to 18 inches (45 cm) long and weighs more than 2 pounds (1 kg).
Found everywhere but the polar regions and Australasia, insectivores display numerous specializations. A number of species, including the aquatic tenrec (Limnogale mergulus) and the Pyrenean desman, have evolved to exploit aquatic habitats. Their long tail, streamlined body, shorter limbs, and partially or fully webbed feet help them catch a variety of underwater prey. Hedgehogs and some tenrecs sport spiny coats that they can deploy to defend themselves. Moles, such as the European mole, have modified pectoral girdles and front limbs, as well as spadelike feet and heavy claws for burrowing underground. The rare and endangered solenodons of Hispaniola and Cuba, together with Old World water shrews and North American short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda), are the only mammals that produce venom in their saliva and chew it into their wounded prey.
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