Colombian Small-eared Shrew vs Elastic Saddle

Cryptotis colombiana compared with Helvella elastica

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Colombian Small-eared Shrew	Elastic Saddle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Pezizales (Pezizales)
Family	Soricidae	Helvellaceae
Genus	Cryptotis	Helvella
Species	Cryptotis colombiana	Helvella elastica

Conservation Status

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Elastic Saddle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Colombian Small-eared Shrew	Elastic Saddle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Elastic Saddle

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States).

Colombian Small-eared Shrew

<em>Cryptotis colombiana</em>, the Colombian small-eared shrew, is a diminutive insectivorous mammal belonging to the family Soricidae, endemic to Colombia. This species typically inhabits montane environments, including humid cloud forests and high-altitude grasslands known locally as páramo, where it forages actively through leaf litter and soil for invertebrate prey. Small-eared shrews of the genus <em>Cryptotis</em> are characterised by their notably reduced external ears, high metabolic rates, and nearly constant activity cycles driven by the energetic demands of maintaining body temperature. <em>Cryptotis colombiana</em> is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting that its population is relatively stable within its Colombian range. Despite this status, Andean shrews face ongoing pressures from land conversion, cattle grazing in páramo ecosystems, and climate-driven shifts in vegetation zones. The species contributes to soil aeration and invertebrate population regulation within its montane habitat. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.