This shrew was described from Sierra de Aroa in northwestern Venezuela. It has luxuriant grayish-brown fur; the three specimens known in the original description came from a pristine cloud-forest patch.
The fur is luxuriant and rich grayish brown.
The Aroa Small-eared Shrew inhabits humid mountain forest in Venezuela’s Sierra de Aroa, including Yurubí National Park.
In May 2012, researchers observed one captured female for ten days in a box containing leaf litter, wood fragments and moss, offering assorted small animals as food. The observations were published in 2017.
She sniffed both air and substrate and moved rapidly above and beneath the leaves. She bit at prey and chased animals that escaped. Feeding involved repeatedly tearing off and chewing small pieces. During these observations she did not hold food with her forefeet. Her movements provided a close view of a normally inconspicuous forest animal.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The 2015 Venezuelan species account identifies fire, agricultural clearing and temperature change as threats to the limited cloud forests of Sierra de Aroa. It recommends extending Yurubí National Park to protect more habitat outside its boundaries.