Desmans are aquatic insectivores of the tribe Desmanini (also considered a subfamily, Desmaninae) in the mole family,

Talpidae The family (biology), family Talpidae () includes the true Mole (animal), moles (as well as the shrew moles and desmans) who are small insectivore, insectivorous mammals of the order (biology), order Eulipotyphla. Talpids are all fossorial, diggi ...

. This tribe consists of two living species found in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

: the

Russian desman The Russian desman (''Desmana moschata''; ''vykhukhol'') is a small semiaquatic mammal that inhabits the Volga river, Volga, Don River, Russia, Don and Ural River basins in Russia. Some authorities, citing old Soviet sources, claim the animal ca ...

(''Desmana moschata'') in European Russia, and the Pyrenean desman (''Galemys pyrenaicus'') in the northwest of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

and the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

. Both species are

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

, the Russian desman critically so. They have webbed paws and their front paws are not well-adapted for digging. Desmans were much more diverse and widespread during the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

, with two genera, ''

Gaillardia ''Gaillardia'' (common name blanket flower) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to North and South America. It was named after Maître Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was an enthusias ...

'' and '' Magnatalpa'', being present in North America. Both living species are thought to have derived from the fossil genus '' Archaeodesmana.''

Species

*Genus '' Desmana'' **

(''D. moschata'') **†'' Desmana kowalskae'' **†'' Desmana nehringi'' **†'' Desmana inflata'' **†'' Desmana thermalis'' **†'' Desmana marci'' *Genus '' Galemys'' ** Pyrenean desman (''G. pyrenaicus'') * Genus †'' Asthenoscapter'' Miocene, Europe * Genus †'' Archaeodesmana'' Miocene-Pliocene, Europe * Genus †'' Desmanella'' Miocene, Europe * Genus †''

'' Miocene, North America * Genus †'' Mygalinia'' Late Miocene, Hungary * Genus †'' Magnatalpa'' Miocene-Pliocene, North America *Genus †'' Ruemkelia''

Gallery

Galemys pyrenaicus 02 crop-by-dpc.jpg, The bare snout of '' Galemys pyrenaicus'' Galemys pyrenaicus MHNT.INS.29.jpg, '' Galemys pyrenaicus'' Desmana moschata MHNT.INS.10.jpg, '' Desmana moschata''

In the media

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References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q940295 Talpidae Aquatic mammals Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas