Their soft, very dense fur is blackish but slightly paler or white on the underparts. T.... water shrew

The elegant water shrew ( Nectogale elegans ) of continental Southeast Asia is the most specialized for aquatic life. The elegant water shrew weighs up to 45 grams (1.6 ounces), with a body 10 to 14 cm (4 to 5.5 inches) long and a tail nearly as long as the body. Two of the 72 species in the genus Sorex are water shrews. The North American water shrew ( S. It is the smallest and least specialized species of water shrew, weighing up to 18 grams, with a body 6 to 9 cm long and a slightly shorter tail. In addition to the North American and elegant water shrews, there are several species of Oriental water shrews (genus Chimarrogale ) and three species of Old World water shrews (genus Neomys ). water shrew