Crocidura

a genus of mammals of the shrew family, of the order Insectivora. They are 4–10 cm long. Crocidura differ from the closely related shrews and water shrews by the whiteness of their teeth, comparatively large helix, and the presence of separate long hairs on their tails. The majority of species are found chiefly in Africa, and they are also widely distributed in Europe and Asia. In the USSR they inhabit the steppe zone and are sometimes found in houses. They feed on insects.