Maine is home to 8 species in 4 genera in 2 families.

If you know which species you have or are interested in learning about, click on the appropriate species link below. Otherwise, to determine which genus that the animal you are trying to identify belongs to, refer to the tabular key immediately below the species list.

Family Soricidae (2 genera, 6 species)
   Blarina (1 species)
      Blarina brevicauda - northern short-tailed shrew
   Sorex (5 species)
      Sorex cinereus - masked shrew
      Sorex dispar - rock shrew
      Sorex fumeus - smoky shrew
      Sorex hoyi - pigmy shrew
      Sorex palustris - American water shrew
Family Talpidae (2 genera, 2 species)
   Condylura (1 species)
      Condylura cristata - star-nosed mole
   Parascalops (1 species)
      Parascalops breweri - hairy-tailed mole

Key to the families of Order Eulipotyphia in Maine

	front feet width	front feet orientation	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Soricidae	more or less same width as hind feet	facing downward
Talpidae	much wider than hind feet	facing outward

Family Soricidae (shrew family)
[information to be added]

Key to the genera of family Soricidae in Maine

	tail length	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Blarina	short
Sorex	long

Blarina ([genus name?])
[information to be added]

Blarina brevicauda (northern short-tailed shrew) - [information to be added]

Sorex ([genus name?])
[information to be added]

Key to the species of the genus Sorex in Maine

	char. 1	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
S. cinereus
S. dispar
S. fumeus
S. hoyi
S. palustris

Sorex cinereus (masked shrew) - [information to be added]

Sorex dispar (rock shrew) - [information to be added]

Sorex fumeus (smokey shrew) - [information to be added]

Sorex hoyi (pygmy shrew) - [information to be added]

Sorex palustris (American water shrew) - [information to be added]

Talpidae (mole family)
[information to be added]

Key to the genera of family Talpidae in Maine

	nose tip	char. 2	char. 3	char. 4	char. 5
Condylura	flat
Parascalops	pointed

Candylura ([genus name?])
[information to be added]

Candylura cristata (star-nosed mole) - [information to be added]

Parascalops ([genus name?])
[information to be added]

Prarscalops breweri (hairy-tailed mole) - venomous