''Notiosorex cockrumi'', also called Cockrum's gray shrew or Cockrum's desert shrew, is a tiny species of

shrew Shrews (family Soricidae) are small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla. True shrews are not to be confused with treeshrews, otter shrews, elephant shrews, West Indies shrews, or marsupial shrews, which belong to different fa ...

s named in 2003. This

red-toothed shrew The red-toothed shrews of the subfamily Soricinae are one of three living subfamilies of shrews, along with Crocidurinae (white-toothed shrews) and Myosoricinae (African white-toothed shrews). In addition, the family contains the extinct subfamil ...

, which is as light as a

penny A penny is a coin ( pennies) or a unit of currency (pl. pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. Presently, it is t ...

, is the first new mammal species from

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

since 1977. Its range extends from Arizona to central

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Distribution and Habitat

The shrew is found in desert habitats from southeastern and south-central Arizona to central Sonora, Mexico. It typically inhabits desert shrub, and plant communities dominated by mesquite, agave, cholla, and oakbrush. It burrows in the soil or in fallen logs and debris.

Characteristics

The shrew is very small and is insectivorous. It has a brown-gray color with a reddish-pink nose, tail and feet. Its nose has large whiskers and it also possesses large ears.

References

Notiosorex Mammals described in 2003 Mammals of the United States Mammals of Mexico {{redtoothed-shrew-stub