common shrew

Thân thiện

A common shrew scurries through the leaf litter in a forest.

Definition

Noun: 1. A small, common insectivorous mammal of North America: The common shrew refers specifically to Sorex cinereus or closely related species, a very small, mouse-like mammal with a pointed snout, tiny eyes, and velvety fur. It is not a rodent but an insectivore, feeding primarily on insects, worms, and other invertebrates. It is characterized by a high metabolic rate and is active day and night.

Usage and Examples

• The common shrew is one of the most widespread small mammals in northern North American forests.
• Despite its name, the common shrew is rarely seen because it spends most of its time under leaf litter or in tunnels.
• A biologist carefully recorded the weight of the captured common shrew.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in ecological and biological contexts to discuss population dynamics, food webs, or habitat studies.
  • The study monitored how the population of the common shrew fluctuated with the abundance of insect prey.

Variants and Related Words

• Shrew (n): The general term for any small insectivorous mammal of the family Soricidae. The "common shrew" is a specific type of shrew.
• Cinereus shrew (n): Another name for , the common shrew.
• Masked shrew (n): A common name for the same species ().

Synonyms

• Cinereus shrew
• Masked shrew
• (Scientific name) Sorex cinereus

Notes on Meaning

• Important Distinction: In a global context, "common shrew" can cause confusion. In North America, it refers to . In Europe, the term "common shrew" typically refers to a different species, . The provided definition specifies the "common American shrew."

Học thuật

Noun

1. common American shrew

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sorex araneus