Abstract Blarina hylophaga (Elliot, 1899) is a soricid commonly called Elliot's short-tailed shrew. A short-legged, robust shrew with a long, pointed snout and a short tail; it is 1 of 4 species in the genus Blarina. It occurs throughout most of the Great Plains of the United States, where it inhabits moist, well-drained grassland and riparian areas with deep leaf litter. It is listed as a species of greatest conservation need in Iowa and at possible risk in Texas, which might be due to the limited knowledge of the species throughout its geographic range.