Family CAENOLESTIDAE

(SHREW-OPOSSUMS)

• Small-sized terrestrial, pouchless marsupials, with peculiar lip flaps flanking upper and lower cheek teeth and very long, procumbent lower incisors; big toes not opposable and tails not prehensile.

• 15-25 cm.

• Neotropical Region.

• Subtropical and montane forests and paramo grasslands of the Andes.

• 3 genera, 7 species, 11 axa.

• 2 species Vulnerable; none Extinct since 1600.