Mammals
Giant Mexican Shrew
Megasorex gigas · also called mexican shrew
Holding the size record for its entire family in the New World, a giant Mexican shrew would still fit easily in the palm of a hand, a reminder of just how small “giant” can be within a family built almost entirely around extreme miniaturisation.
Overview
The giant Mexican shrew, Megasorex gigas, is the largest shrew species found anywhere in the Americas, native to forest and mountain habitat along the Pacific coast of Mexico. Its record-holding size relative to other New World shrews, status as the sole member of its own genus, and restricted, still poorly studied range make it one of the more taxonomically distinctive and least understood shrew species found anywhere in North America.
The biggest of a very small family
Even at the top of its family’s size range, the giant Mexican shrew remains a genuinely tiny mammal, a reminder that “largest” within the shrew family still means small enough to disappear into a closed hand.
Status
Least Concern, remaining present across suitable forest and mountain habitat along the Pacific coast of Mexico, though relatively poorly studied compared with many other shrew species.
Giant Mexican Shrew: common questions
How big is the giant Mexican shrew compared to other shrews?
This species is the largest shrew species found anywhere in the Americas, though it remains small in absolute terms compared with most other mammals, still easily fitting comfortably in the palm of a hand despite holding the New World size record for its family.
Is the giant Mexican shrew closely related to other common shrew species?
Not especially, since this species is the only member of its genus, Megasorex, distinguishing it taxonomically from the many species grouped within the more diverse Sorex and Cryptotis genera found across North America.
Why isn't much known about the giant Mexican shrew?
This species remains relatively poorly studied compared with many other shrew species, in part due to its restricted range and the general difficulty of researching small, secretive nocturnal mammals within remote forest and mountain habitat.
Where does the giant Mexican shrew live?
This species has a restricted natural range confined largely to forest and mountain habitat along the Pacific coast of Mexico, occupying a considerably narrower distribution than many more widespread shrew species found elsewhere in North America.