This family of 22 Recent genera and 289 species is found on all major land areas, with the exception of the Arctic islands, Ungava, Greenland, Iceland, the West Indies, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and some of the Pacific islands. However, it is found only in the northernmost part of South America.
Shrews are small, short-legged, mouselike animals with long, pointed noses.
One of the two smallest mammals in the world, Suncus etruscus, which weighs approximately 2 grams as an adult, is a member of this family. Head and body length of shrews ranges from 35 to 180 mm, and tail length is 9-120 mm. Adults weigh from 2 to about 35 grams, usually 3-18 grams. The fur is short, dense, and usually some shade of brown or gray. Odoriferous glands are present on the flanks of some, and the odor is most noticeable during the breeding season.