Blarina

The genus Blarina, commonly called short-tailed shrews, is a genus of relatively large shrews with relatively short tails found in North America.

Description
They have 32 teeth and are in the red-toothed shrew subfamily. They generally have dark fur and thick feet. The saliva of these animals is toxic and is used to subdue prey.

Species
Species are:
 * Northern short-tailed shrew B. brevicauda
 * Southern short-tailed shrew B. carolinensis
 * Elliot's short-tailed shrew B. hylophaga
 * Everglades short-tailed shrew B. peninsulae
 * Sherman's short-tailed shrew B. shermani; possibly extinct

Ecoepidemiology
Short-tailed shrews are one of the animal reservoirs of the agents of Lyme disease and human babesiosis.