Neomys

Marsh shrew ( Neomys anomalus )

The water shrews ( Neomys ) are a living in Europe and northern Asia mammalian genus from the family of shrews ( Soricidae ). Of the three species of this genus two live, the water shrew ( N. fodiens ) and the marsh shrew ( N. anomalus ) in Central Europe.

Features

Water shrews are adapted to an aquatic lifestyle. There is a fringe of hairs bristling, like webbed allows similar rapid progress in the water, in the toes. In the water shrew, but not in the swamp shrew, similar bristles are at the bottom of the tail. The ears are small and almost completely hidden in the fur. The coat is short and dense, it is colored on the top gray-brown to black, the underside is lighter, often white. These animals reach head fuselage lengths 7-10 cm, a tail length from 4.5 to 8 centimeters and a weight of 12-18 grams.

Distribution and habitat

The distribution of water shrews includes large parts of Europe and northern Asia, it is enough to the east to the Pacific coast and includes Asia Minor. They are usually found near water bodies such as lakes, rivers and swamp regions.

Way of life

Water shrews are skillful swimmers and divers in the water, and often looking for food. For the rest they are retreating to burrows that they have either dug themselves or taken from other small mammals. You can be diurnal as well as nocturnal and live like most shrews primarily solitary. The food consists of both invertebrates (such as insect larvae ) as well as from small vertebrates (such as fish and frogs ).

The types

The species of water shrews is divided into three types:

• The water shrew ( Neomys fodiens ) is the largest species and spread from Western Europe to the Siberian Pacific coast.
• The marsh shrew ( Neomys anomalus ) is less and less adapted to aquatic life. It grows mainly in South East Europe and is found less frequently in western and central Europe.
• Neomys teres ( formerly known as N. schelkovnikovi ) is native to the Caucasus and Asia Minor.

The American water shrew ( Sorex palustris ) and the Asiatic water shrews ( genus Chimarrogale ) does not belong to this genus.