''Galemys'' is a genus of mole containing the living

Pyrenean desman The Pyrenean desman also called Iberian desman (''Galemys pyrenaicus'') is a small semiaquatic, globally threatened mammal related to moles and shrews, and, along with the Russian desman (''Desmana moschata''), is one of the two extant members ...

''(Galemys pyrenaicus)'' and several fossil species. Many of these extinct species were far more widespread than the living species; for example, the

Early Pleistocene The Early Pleistocene is an unofficial sub-epoch in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, being the earliest division of the Pleistocene Epoch within the ongoing Quaternary Period. It is currently estimated to span the time ...

''Galemys kormosi'' was found in freshwater habitats throughout much of Europe, including the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. ''Galemys'' probably evolved in the Early Pliocene from a species in the extinct genus '' Archaeodesmana''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19816805 Mammal genera Mammal genera with one living species