(1) Erinaceidae [hedgehogs and gymnures, 7 genus, 17 species]

(2) Solenodontidae [solenodons, 1 genus, 1 species]

(3) Soricidae [shrews, 26 genera, 385 species]

(4) Talpidae [moles and desmans, 17 genus, 46 species]

Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures) Hedgehogs are spiny nocturnal mammals found through parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand and North America by introduction.

There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas (the extinct genus Amphechinus was once present in North America).

Solenodontidae (solenodons) This family has one species call a solenodon, which are slotted-tooth, venomous, nocturnal, burrowing insectivorous mammals. Solenodons resemble very large shrews with extremely elongated snouts, long naked tails, hairless feet, and small eyes.

Soricidae (shrews) Shrews which resemble small moles, most no larger than a mouse but are not rodents. Shrews have sharp spike like teeth instead of the incisor teeth of rodents. Shrews are distributed worldwide, except for Austrailia, New Guinea, and New Zealand, but are only recent immigrants to South America.

This family include moles and desmans. Talpids are found across the Northern Hemisphere and southern Asia, Europe, and North America, although none are found in Ireland nor anywhere in the Americas south of northern Mexico.

Moles are entirely subterranean, insectivorous mammals active both day and night.

Desmans however are aquatic and nocturnal, but have dry sleeping chambers.