---
title: "Wimperspitsmuis"
description: "Suncus etruscus — Zoogdieren. The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew, white-toothed pygmy shrew and Savi's pygmy shrew, is the smallest known extant mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 g (0.063 oz) on average - as much as a paperclip."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/pygmy-white-toothed-shrew
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Wimperspitsmuis

> Suncus etruscus — Zoogdieren. The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew, white-toothed pygmy shrew and Savi's pygmy shrew, is the smallest known extant mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 g (0.063 oz) on average - as much as a paperclip.

- Scientific name: *Suncus etruscus*
- Category: `mammals` (Zoogdieren)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 748
- Wikidata: [Q369889](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q369889)
- iNaturalist taxon: [852333](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/852333)

## Names

- en: Pygmy White-toothed Shrew
- de: Etruskerspitzmaus
- es: Musgaño enano
- fr: Pachyure étrusque
- nl: Wimperspitsmuis
- pt: Musaranho-pigmeu
- pl: Ryjówek etruski

## Countries with the most observations

IT (181), FR (72), ES (59), IL (13), GR (10), HR (6), IN (4), BG (3), DZ (3), GE (3), TH (3)

## Summary

The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), also known as the Etruscan pygmy shrew, white-toothed pygmy shrew and Savi's pygmy shrew, is the smallest known extant mammal by mass, weighing only about 1.8 g (0.063 oz) on average - as much as a paperclip. (The bumblebee bat is regarded as the smallest mammal by skull size and body length.)
The Etruscan shrew has a body length of about 4 cm (1.6 in) excluding the tail. It is characterized by very rapid movements and a fast metabolism, eating about 1.5–2 times its own body weight per day. It feeds on various small vertebrates and invertebrates, mostly insects, and can hunt individuals…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_shrew

## Photo

![Wimperspitsmuis](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/pygmy-white-toothed-shrew/medium.jpg)

Photo: shamsho · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/209231092

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/pygmy-white-toothed-shrew?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).