According to the current taxonomy, the Myosoricinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

of shrews. As such, they form one of three main types of shrews, the other two being the

red-toothed shrews 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 ...

and the white-toothed shrews. They are the only one of the three to be found exclusively south of the Sahara Desert, and so they have been described in English as the African shrews, but also many white-toothed shrews are in Africa and therefore this term is more generally used for shrews from Africa in general. (Another vernacular term is African white-toothed shrews, though this perpetuates the same confusion.) The subfamily has three genera and 20 species: *Subfamily Myosoricinae **Genus '' Congosorex'' - Congo shrews *** Phillips' Congo shrew, ''C. phillipsorum'' *** Greater Congo shrew, ''C. polli'' *** Lesser Congo shrew, ''C. verheyeni'' **Genus ''

Myosorex ''Myosorex'' is a mammal genus in the Soricidae (shrew) family. The genus, collectively referred to as the mouse shrews, contains these species: * Babault's mouse shrew, ''M. babaulti'' * Montane mouse shrew, ''M. blarina'' * Bururi forest shr ...

'' - forest and mouse shrews ***

Babault's mouse shrew Babault's mouse shrew (''Myosorex babaulti'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecos ...

, ''M. babaulti'' ***

Montane mouse shrew The montane mouse shrew (''Myosorex blarina'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat ...

, ''M. blarina'' ***

Bururi forest shrew The Bururi forest shrew (''Myosorex bururiensis'') is a species of mouse shrew native to Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French lan ...

, ''M. bururiensis'' *** Dark-footed mouse shrew, ''M. cafer'' ***

Eisentraut's mouse shrew Eisentraut's mouse shrew (''Myosorex eisentrauti'') is a Myosoricinae shrew found only on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat l ...

, ''M. eisentrauti'' ***

Geata mouse shrew The Geata mouse shrew (''Myosorex geata'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The ...

, ''M. geata'' ***

Nyika mouse shrew The Nyika burrowing shrew (''Myosorex gnoskei'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Af ...

or Nyika burrowing shrew, ''M. gnoskei'' ***

Kahuzi swamp shrew The Kahuzi swamp shrew (''Myosorex jejei'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquiall ...

, ''M. jejei'' *** Kabogo mouse shrew ''M. kabogoensis'' ***

Kihaule's mouse shrew Kihaule's mouse shrew (''Myosorex kihaulei'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Tanzania where it is known only from the Udzungwa Mountains, at the western end of the Eastern Arc Mountains. Its natural habitats are subtro ...

, ''M. kihaulei'' ***

Long-tailed forest shrew The long-tailed forest shrew, or long-tailed mouse shrew, (''Myosorex longicaudatus'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and swamps ...

, ''M. longicaudatus'' *** Meester's forest shrew, ''M. meesteri'' *** Oku mouse shrew, ''M. okuensis'' ***

Rumpi mouse shrew The Rumpi mouse shrew (''Myosorex rumpii'') is a Myosoricinae shrew found only on the Rumpi Hills, Cameroon. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat redu ...

, ''M. rumpii'' ***

Schaller's mouse shrew Schaller's mouse shrew (''Myosorex schalleri'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on ...

, ''M. schalleri'' ***

Sclater's mouse shrew Sclater's mouse shrew (''Myosorex sclateri'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the ...

, ''M. sclateri'' ***

Thin mouse shrew The thin mouse shrew (''Myosorex tenuis'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae found in South Africa and possibly Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msu ...

, ''M. tenuis'' *** Forest shrew, ''M. varius'' ***

Kilimanjaro mouse shrew The Kilimanjaro mouse shrew (''Myosorex zinki'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on ...

, ''M. zinki'' **Genus ''

Surdisorex ''Surdisorex'' is a genus of mammals in the family Soricidae. ''Surdisorex'' is one of three genera of African shrews, which, in turn, are one of three living subfamilies of shrews. Species in the genus ''Surdisorex'' are called African mole s ...

'' - African mole shrews ***

Aberdare mole shrew The Aberdare mole shrew (''Surdisorex norae'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to the Aberdare Mountains in Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption ...

, ''S. norae'' ***

Mount Kenya mole shrew The Mount Kenya mole shrew (''Surdisorex polulus'') is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae endemic to Mount Kenya in Kenya. Its natural habitat is tropical high-altitude bamboo and grassland, particularly the bamboo-belt of Mount Kenya ...

, ''S. polulus'' ***

Mount Elgon mole shrew Represented by a single specimen, the Mount Elgon mole shrew (''Surdisorex schlitteri'') is a species of African mole shrew known to date only from the ericaceous zone of Mount Elgon in Western Kenya. In 1984, a specimen of the genus ''Surdisorex ...

, ''S. schlitteri'' According to Furió et al.(2007) the group should have the status of tribe, as a relict of the primitive subfamily Crocidosoricinae.Reumer, 1987

References

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