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The American water shrew is a sexually dimorphic species in which the males are generally larger and heavier than the females. The size of the shrew is 130–170 mm (5.1–6.7 in) and weight is 8–18 g (0.28–0.63 oz).
The Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens), known in the United Kingdom as the water shrew, is a relatively large shrew, up to 10 cm (4 in) long, with a tail up to three-quarters as long again. It has short, dark fur, often with a few white tufts, a white belly, and a few stiff hairs around the feet and tail.
Shrews need to consume 200% to 300% of their body weight in food each day in order to survive; to achieve this they must eat every 2 to 3 hours, and they will starve if they go without food much longer than that. They do not hibernate because their bodies are too small to store sufficient fat reserves and they have a short fasting duration. [5] [7]
The northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda) is the largest shrew in the genus Blarina, [3] and occurs in the northeastern region of North America. [4] It is a semifossorial, highly active, and voracious insectivore and is present in a variety of habitats like broadleaved and pine forests among shrubs and hedges as well as grassy river banks. [5]
All shrews are tiny, most no larger than a mouse. The largest species is the Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus) of tropical Asia, which is about 15 cm (6 in) long and weighs around 100 g (3 + 1 ⁄ 2 oz) [2] The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), at about 3.5 cm (1 + 3 ⁄ 8 in) and 1.8 grams (28 grains), is the smallest known living terrestrial mammal.
The Glacier Bay water shrew (Sorex alaskanus) is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to Alaska in the United States. [1] It can swim underwater, and when it stops swimming, air trapped in its fur lets it float back up to the surface. Owing to small hairs on its feet, the water shrew can run across the water.
Water shrew may refer to any of several species of semiaquatic red-toothed shrews: Asiatic water shrews (Chimarrogale spp.) Malayan water shrew (C. hantu) Himalayan water shrew (C. himalayica) Sunda water shrew (C. phaeura) Japanese water shrew (C. platycephala) Chinese water shrew (C. styani) Sumatran water shrew (C. sumatrana) Nectogale
Although the marsh shrew and the American water shrew (the two largest shrews in North America) share some features, [4] the American water shrew has more dark-grey-to-black fur on its back, a silver-grey belly and a bi-colored tail [3] and the marsh shrew's fringed hairs are more distinct. [4]