The genus Crocidura is one of nine genera of the shrew subfamily Crocidurinae. Members of the genus are commonly called white-toothed shrews or musk shrews, although both also apply to all of the species in the subfamily. With over 180 species, Crocidura contains the most species of any mammal genus. The genus name Crocidura comes from Ancient Greek κροκύς (krokús), meaning "piece of wool", and οὐρά (ourá), meaning "tail", and thus, "woolly tail", referring to the species' tails being covered in short hairs interspersed with longer ones.