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Nesiotites
''Nesiotites'' is an extinct genus of large red-toothed shrews belonging to the tribe Nectogalini that inhabited the Balearic Islands from the latest Miocene/Early Pliocene (from around 5.3 million years ago) up until the arrival of humans on the islands during the late Holocene (around 2500-2300 BC). It was present on Mallorca and Menorca. It represented one of only 3 native land mammals to the islands at the time of human arrival, alongside the goat-antelope '' Myotragus'' and the giant dormouse ''Hypnomys''. The genus is closely related to the also recently extinct Corsican-Sardinian shrews belonging to the genus '' Asoriculus'', with their closest living relatives being the Himalayan shrews of the genus '' Soriculus.'' Taxonomy ''Nesiotites'' was originally described by Dorothea Bate in 1945, with the type species being ''Nesiotites hidalgo.'' Originally, two species from the islands of Corsica and Sardinia (''N. corsicanus'' and ''N. similis'') were included in the genus, but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asoriculus
''Asoriculus'' is an extinct genus of terrestrial Shrew (animal), shrews in the subfamily Soricinae (red-toothed shrews) and tribe Nectogalini, native to Europe (including the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily) West Asia and North Africa, from the Late Miocene (from around 6 million years ago) until the late Holocene (likely the late 1st millennium BC). The genus is closely related and possibly ancestral to the also recently-extinct Nesiotites, Balearic shrews (''Nesiotites''), with their closest living relative being the Himalayan shrew (''Soriculus nigrescens''). Taxonomy and evolution The number of valid species in the genus is uncertain and subject to dispute. The best known species of ''Asoriculus'', ''Asoriculus gibberodon'', was widespread in Europe from the Late Miocene (Messinian, Mammal Neogene zones, MN13, from around 7.2-5.3 million years ago) to the Early Pleistocene, and was also present in Anatolia and the Caucasus during the Pliocene. The youngest records of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hypnomys
''Hypnomys'', otherwise known as Balearic giant dormice, is an extinct genus of dormouse (Gliridae) in the subfamily Leithiinae. Its species are considered examples of insular gigantism. They were endemic to the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean from the Early Pliocene until their extinction around the 3rd millennium BC. They first appeared in the fossil record on Mallorca during the Early Pliocene (around 5 million years ago), presumably as a result to the evaporation of the Mediterranean sea during the Messinian salinity crisis (5.96-5.33 million years ago) connecting the Balearic Islands with mainland Europe. They later spread to Menorca, and a possible molar is also known from Ibiza. ''Hypnomys'' became extinct during the late Holocene (around 4500-4000 years ago) likely shortly after human arrival on the Balearics. They were one of only three native land mammals to the islands at the time of human arrival, alongside the shrew '' Nesiotites'' and goat-antelope '' M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nectogalini
Nectogalini is a tribe of Old World shrews within the family Soricidae. As of late 2007, it consisted of six extant genera and 25 species, with some of the latter being further divided into subspecies. Some, but not all members of the tribe are semiaquatic. Adaptation to semiaquatic life Members of this tribe that are associated with a semiaquatic mode of life ('' Chimarrogale'', '' Nectogale'', and '' Neomys'') have developed several lifestyle adaptations. For example, some species have stiff hairs on the sides of their toes and feet, both on their fore and hind limbs. These increase the surface area of the feet, assisting in locomotion during swimming. In addition, species such as '' Neomys fodiens'' have developed elongated tails with the hairs forming a keel-like shape that is similar in function to a rudder when the animal is in the water.Churchfield, Sara, 1990. ''The Natural History of Shrews''. C. Helm/A & C Black, 178 pp. Genera * '' Chimarrogale'' (6 species) * ''C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myotragus
''Myotragus'' (Neo-Latin, derived from the Greek: , "mouse-goat") is an extinct genus of goat-antelope in the tribe Caprini which lived on the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Menorca in the western Mediterranean until its extinction around 4,500 years ago. The fossil record of ''Myotragus'' on the Balearic Islands extends over 5 million years back to the early Pliocene on Mallorca, where it presumably arrived after the evaporation of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (around 5.96-5.33 million years ago). ''Myotragus'' is represented by six sequential chronospecies representing gradual change in morphology''.'' The youngest and best known species, ''M. balearicus,'' is noted for a number of unusual morphological adaptions, including forward facing eyes suggestive of binocular vision, as well as a long lifespan, which developed in an unusual ecosystem where only a few other mammal species were present, terrestrial predators were absent, and ''Myotragus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soriculus
''Soriculus'' is a genus of shrew native to the Himalayas, the adjacent Hengduan Mountains and surrounding areas. There is generally only one recognised species, '' Soriculus nigrescens'', (as other extant species previously assigned to the genus had been transferred to other genera), though in 2023 and 2024 additional living species of the genus were proposed. Taxonomy The genus ''Soriculus'' is placed within the tribe Nectogalini. Several former species of the genus has been moved to other genera such as ''Chodsigoa'' and ''Episoriculus''. Species from the extinct European genus ''Asoriculus'' were also included here at one point. Currently the genus contains the extinct species ''Soriculus kashmiriensis'' and ''Soriculus kubinyi'', although in its description ''S. kashmiriensis'' was noted for being most closely related to species now placed in the genus ''Chodsigoa''. DNA research has confirmed the close relationship of ''Soriculus'' with the recently extinct ''Asoriculus'' an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Episoriculus
''Episoriculus'' is a genus of shrew in the red-toothed shrew subfamily. Its common is brown-toothed shrew. It has been described as a subgenus to '' Soriculus'' in the past. The genus occurs at a number of locations in Asia, including Nepal and China. Species Currently, the four identified species of the genus ''Episoriculus'' include: * Hodgson's brown-toothed shrew (''E. caudatus'') **''E. c. sacratus'' **''E. c. umbrinus'' * Taiwanese brown-toothed shrew (''E. fumidus'') * Long-tailed brown-toothed shrew (''E. leucops'') **''E. l. leucops'' **''E. l. baileyi'' * Long-tailed mountain shrew (''E. macrurus'') The monophyly In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent comm ... of the genus has been questioned, as ''E. fumidus'' has been found to be only distantly related to other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Episoriculus Fumidus
The Taiwanese brown-toothed shrew (''Episoriculus fumidus'') is a species of shrew in the tribe Nectogalini. It is found only in Taiwan. Bucknell.edu. Retrieved on 2011-10-21. It prefers dense ground cover in forests and subalpine shrublands in high mountains of central Taiwan. Its placement in '''' has been questioned, with genetic analysis finding that it is more basal within Nectogalini than other members of ''Episoriculus''. See also *[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-toothed Shrew
The red-toothed shrews of the subfamily Soricinae are one of three living subfamilies of shrews, along with Crocidurinae (white-toothed shrews) and Myosoricinae (African white-toothed shrews). In addition, the family contains the extinct subfamilies Limnoecinae, Crocidosoricinae, Allosoricinae and Heterosoricinae. These species are typically found in North America, northern South America, Europe and northern Asia. The enamel of the tips of their teeth is reddish due to iron pigment. The iron deposits serve to harden the enamel and are concentrated in those parts of the teeth most subject to wear. Members of the genera ''Chimarrogale'', '' Nectogale'', '' Neomys'' (Nectogalini) and some members of ''Sorex'' (Soricini) are known as water shrews, due to having a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Species The list of species is: * Tribe Anourosoricini ** Genus '' Anourosorex'' (Asian mole shrews) *** Assam mole shrew, ''A. assamensis'' *** Giant mole shrew, ''A. schmidi'' *** Chines ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago forms a Provinces of Spain, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain, with Palma de Mallorca being its capital and largest city. Formerly part of the Kingdom of Majorca, Kingdom of Mallorca, the islands were made a province in the 19th century provincial division, which in 1983 received a Statute of Autonomy of the Balearic Islands, Statute of Autonomy. In its later reform of 2007, the Statute designates the Balearic Islands as one of the ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationalities'' of Spain. The official Languages of Spain, languages of the Balearic Islands are Catalan language, Catalan and Spanish language, Spanish. The archipelago islands are further grouped in western Pityusic Islands, Pytiuses (the largest being Ibiza and Formentera), and eastern Gymnesian Islands, Gymnesians (the largest bein ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mallorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Balearic Islands have been an autonomous region of Spain since 1983. There are two small islands off the coast of Mallorca: Cabrera, Balearic Islands, Cabrera (southeast of Palma) and Dragonera (west of Palma). The anthem of Mallorca is "La Balanguera". Like the other Balearic Islands of Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, the island is a highly popular holiday destination, particularly for tourists from the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The international airport, Palma de Mallorca Airport, is one of the busiest in Spain; it was used by 28 million passengers in 2017, with use increasing ever ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitochondrial Genome
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the DNA contained in a eukaryotic cell; most of the DNA is in the cell nucleus, and, in plants and algae, the DNA also is found in plastids, such as chloroplasts. Mitochondrial DNA is responsible for coding of 13 essential subunits of the complex oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system which has a role in cellular energy conversion. Human mitochondrial DNA was the first significant part of the human genome to be sequenced. This sequencing revealed that human mtDNA has 16,569 base pairs and encodes 13 proteins. As in other vertebrates, the human mitochondrial genetic code differs slightly from nuclear DNA. Since animal mtDNA evolves faster than nuclear genetic markers, it represents a mainstay of phylogenetics and evolutionary biology. It also permits traci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of highest mountains on Earth, 100 peaks exceeding elevations of above sea level lie in the Himalayas. The Himalayas abut on or cross territories of Himalayan states, six countries: Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan, India and Afghanistan. The sovereignty of the range in the Kashmir region is disputed among India, Pakistan, and China. The Himalayan range is bordered on the northwest by the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges, on the north by the Tibetan Plateau, and on the south by the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Some of the world's major rivers, the Indus River, Indus, the Ganges river, Ganges, and the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Tsangpo–Brahmaputra River, Brahmaputra, rise in the vicinity of the Himalayas, and their combined drainage basin is home to some 6 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
