Insectivore

Insectivore, any member of a group of small mammals that includes the shrew, mole, golden mole, hedgehog, solenodon, tenrec, and desman. They are found everywhere but Antarctica, Australia, and the southern part of South America. Only moles and shrews are found in North America.

Mostly small nocturnal animals with large and well-developed olfactory bulbs in the brain that are indicative of a keen sense of smell, insectivores feed on small vertebrates, plants, and insects and other small invertebrates, such as earthworms. This diverse group has existed since the Cretaceous period, 80 million years ago. The tenrecs of Madagascar closely resemble their fossil ancestor.

Scientific classification: Insectivores make up the order Insectivora of the class Mammalia.