soricomorpha (from greek "shrew-form") is a formerly used taxon within the class of mammals. in the past it formed a significant group within the former order insectivora. however, insectivora was shown to be polyphyletic and various new orders were split off from it, including afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles), macroscelidea (elephant shrews), and erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures), with the four remaining extant and recent families of soricomorpha shown here then being treated as a separate order. insectivora was left empty and disbanded.