Its tail tends to be longer than that of the similar C. nana, though their ranges overlap. At Djoudj in Senegal it was frequently found among the prey of owls.
A 2025 comparison found a longer mean tail in this species than in the similar C. nana, but the ranges of tail length overlap substantially.
More than half of the shrews identified from barn-owl pellets at Djoudj National Park were assigned to this species.
The skull is low relative to its length, with an almost flat upper profile in side view.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.