Soricinae is a subfamily of small mammals in the shrew family Soricidae, which in turn is part of the order Eulipotyphla. A member of this family is called a soricine or a red-toothed shrew. Soricinae is one of three subfamilies in Soricidae, along with the white-toothed shrews of Crocidurinae and the African shrews of Myosoricinae. They are found in Europe, Asia, North America, and northern South America, primarily in forests, shrublands, grasslands, and wetlands, and also in rocky areas and deserts. They range in size from the Eurasian pygmy shrew, at 3 cm (1 in) plus a 3 cm (1 in) tail, to various members of the Chimarrogale genus, at 14 cm (6 in) plus a 13 cm (5 in) tail. Soricines primarily eat insects and other invertebrates, as well as small vertebrates and plants. No soricines have population estimates, but 6 species are categorized as endangered species: the Bornean water shrew, Darién small-eared shrew, Enders's small-eared shrew, Guatemalan broad-clawed shrew, Sierra de Aroa shrew, and Pribilof Island shrew. Additionally, the Nelson's small-eared shrew, San Cristobal shrew, and Sclater's shrew are categorized as critically endangered.
The 158 extant species of Soricinae are divided into 13 genera; 76 of them are in Sorex and 41 in Cryptotis, with the remaining 41 species divided between the other 11 genera. A few extinct prehistoric soricines have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.[1]