Order Insectivora
1) small mammals, short dense fur
2) 5 toes on all feet
3) small ears and eyes - sometimes hidden by fur
4) insect feeders (not exclusively)
Family Soricidae
a) long slender pointed snout
b) continuous row of pointed pigmented teeth
c) high metabolism - must feed every 3-5 hours
d) strong defensive behavior, elaborate courtship behavior
e) young show chain formation in some species
Example:
1) Sorex cinereus - Masked shrew
Skin: dark above, buff below with bicolor tail2) Sorex fumeus - Smokey shrew
Skin: uniform body color with bicolor tail, pale feet3) Sorex palustris - Water shrew
Skin: underside paler than back, stiff hairs on sides of hind limbs, long tail4) Sorex hoyi - Pigmy shrew
Skin: small, long tail (1/3 body length)
All Sorex Skull: I 3/1 C 1/1 PM 3/1 M 3/3 Tot = 325) Blarius brenicauda - Northern short-tailed shrew
Skin: No external cars, eyes small, tail short (~1/4 body length)
Skull: Same dental formula as Sorex - skull about 2.54 cm long, teeth darkly pigmented6) Cryptatis parva - Least shrew
Skin: short-tail cinnamon color
Skull: I 3/1 C 1/1 PM 2/1 M 3/3 Tot = 30
Family Talpidae
a) front feet broad, usually palm directed outward
b) pinhead eyes, no external ears
c) soft thick fur
d) 1 annual litter of 2-6 young
e) teeth not pigmented
Example:
1) Scalopus aquaticus - Eastern mole
Skin: front feed broader than long, snout pointed and naked, tail naked
Skull: I 3/3 C 1/0 PM 3/3 M 3/3 Tot = 36
1st premolar reduced, molars broad2) Condylura cristata - Star nosed mole
Skin: finger-like projections around snout
Skull: I 3/3 C 1/1 PM 4/4 M 3/3 Tot = 44
Premolars reduced and widely spaced3) Parascalops brewori - Hairy-tailed mole
Skin: Hairy tail, short-only eastern mole with this.
Skull: Dental formula same as Condylura
Premolars uniform and close together.
