14,832 observationsLeast Concern
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia βΊPhylum: Chordata βΊClass: Mammalia βΊOrder: Eulipotyphla βΊFamily: Soricidae βΊGenus: Blarina
About
The northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) is the largest shrew in the genus Blarina, and occurs in the northeastern region of North America. It is a semifossorial, highly active, and voracious insectivore and is present in a variety of habitats. It is notable in that it is one of the few venomous mammals. The specific epithet, brevicauda, is a combination of the Latin brevis and cauda, meaning "short tail".