Sorex - Latin; shrew palustris - Latin; marshy
Order: Insectivora
Family: Soricidae
At 5 cm in length, and weighing-in at a very modest 10-18 g, water shrews are the light-weights of Great Lakes mammals. They bear a dense coat which is dark above, and grayish below. Shrews have tiny eyes, and short legs. Water shrews have a long tail, and their large feet have a fringe of stiff hairs along the outer margin. These hairs, as well as the webbing on their hind feet, are useful for swimming and diving.