Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How many species of true shrews are there?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
shrew
Water shrew (Neomys anomalus).
There are more than 340 species of "true" shrews, which belong to the family Soricidae.12
While some sources indicate there are 342 or more species classified within 24 genera, other classifications note 341 or more species across 23 genera. These mammals are widely distributed across all continents except for Australia and Antarctica. It is important to note that other animals often referred to as shrews, such as elephant shrews and tree shrews, are not classified as true shrews.13