Eulipotyphla

Eulipotyphla, from Greek εὖ (eû, “good, true”), Greek λῐ́πος (lípos, “animal fat”) and Greek τῠφλός (tuphlós, “blind”), means “truly fat and blind”, in reference to the fact that these animals are generally round and have poor vision.

Common names of members

Hedgehogs, gymnures, agoutas, desmans, moles, shrew-moles and shrews.

Distribution

All continents except polar regions and Australia.

Size

Their sizes range in small proportions, from 4.5 cm to 30 cm in length.

Morphology

Round or rat-shaped, their coat can vary from smooth to spiny and the coloration of the fur can also vary from brown to gray. They have a long, pointed nose and small eyes. They either have small ears or even do not have ears.

Ecology & Habitat

Bottom of forests, grasslands, and some live near aquatic areas (desmans) or in the underground (moles).

Diet

In general, as omnivorous, they forage for fruits, seeds, insects, nuts, worms, other small invertebrates, and a variety of other foods in leaf litter and dense vegetation, such as bird eggs and carrions. However there are specialized carnivores that eat earthworms, insect larvae, and occasionally slugs (moles) or aquatic invertebrates such as shrimps, aquatic insect larvae, and snails (desmans).

Reproduction

Females usually use grass and leaves to build nests in hidden locations such as under rocks, underground, inside tunnels. Males carry out little parenting care. Females will consume 3 times more food than usual to produce nutritious milk with high fat content for their babies. Drinking the milk, offsprings grow rapidly and so the nursing period is short (no longer than 3 months).