Insectivora - shrews, moles, hedgehogs
There are about 375 species in this order. Most insectivores are small and eat insects, although many species eat worms, crustaceans, and small vertebrates. Insectivores have long, pointed snouts; lots of sharp teeth; small ears; and small eyes. They are found all over the world, except for the polar regions and Australia. They live in a variety of habitats. Some species, like moles, live underground. Some species, like
hedgehogs and some tenrecs have a spiny coat. The smallest mammal living today, the pygmy shrew, is a member of this order. The animals in this order are the most primitive living mammals and scientists think that all mammals evolved from the ancestors of this order.
|