The

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Talpinae, sometimes called "Old World moles" or "Old World moles and relatives", is one of three subfamilies of the mole family Talpidae, the others being the Scalopinae, or New World moles, and the Uropsilinae, or shrew-like moles. These mammals in the order Eulipotyphla mainly live under ground. The species in this group are all found in

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

, except '' Neurotrichus gibbsii''. Most species have front paws specialized for tunneling which are clawed and face outwards from the body. They mainly eat insects and other small invertebrates.

Taxonomy

Although most systems recognize this subfamily as monophyletic, some studies indicate that it as currently defined is

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

with respect to the Scalopinae, with Desmanini being the most basal member, then a clade comprising Neurotrichini, Scaptonychini, and Urotrichini, then the Condylurini (otherwise classified in the Scalopinae), and then Talpini and Scalopini being sister groups to one another. The list of species is: * Subfamily Talpinae ** Tribe Desmanini *** Genus '' Desmana'' **** Russian desman, ''Desmana moschata'' *** Genus '' Galemys'' **** Pyrenean desman, ''Galemys pyrenaicus'' ** Tribe Neurotrichini *** Genus '' Neurotrichus'' **** American shrew mole, ''Neurotrichus gibbsii'' ** Tribe Scaptonychini *** Genus '' Scaptonyx'' **** Long-tailed mole, ''Scaptonyx fusicauda'' ** Tribe Talpini ***Genus '' Euroscaptor'' **** Greater Chinese mole, ''E. grandis'' **** Kloss's mole, ''E. klossi'' **** Kuznetsov's mole, ''E. kuznetsovi'' **** Long-nosed mole, ''E. longirostris'' **** Malaysian mole, ''E. malayanus'' **** Himalayan mole, ''E. micrurus'' **** Ngoc Linh mole, ''E. ngoclinhensis'' **** Orlov's mole, ''E. orlovi'' **** Small-toothed mole, ''E. parvidens'' **** Vietnamese mole, ''E. subanura'' *** Genus '' Mogera'' **** Echigo mole, ''M. etigo'' **** Small Japanese mole, ''M. imaizumii'' **** Insular mole, ''M. insularis'' **** Kano's mole, ''M. kanoana'' **** La Touche's mole, ''M. latouchei'' **** Ussuri mole, ''M. robusta'' **** Sado mole, ''M. tokudae'' **** Senkaku mole, ''M. uchidai'' **** Japanese mole, ''M. wogura'' *** Genus '' Oreoscaptor'' **** Japanese mountain mole, ''O. mizura'' *** Genus '' Parascaptor'' **** White-tailed mole, ''P. leucura'' *** Genus '' Scaptochirus'' - China **** Short-faced mole, ''S. moschatus'' *** Genus '' Talpa'' **** Altai mole, ''T. altaica'' **** Aquitanian mole, ''T. aquitania'' **** Blind mole, ''T. caeca'' **** Caucasian mole, ''T. caucasica'' **** Père David's mole, ''T. davidiana'' **** European mole, ''T. europaea'' **** Levant mole, ''T. levantis'' **** Martino's mole, ''T. martinorum'' **** Spanish mole, ''T. occidentalis'' **** Ognev's mole, ''T. ognevi'' **** Roman mole, ''T. romana'' **** Balkan mole, ''T. stankovici'' **** Talysch mole, ''T. talyschensis'' ** Tribe Urotrichini *** Genus '' Dymecodon'' **** True's shrew mole, ''Dymecodon pilirostris'' *** Genus '' Urotrichus'' **** Japanese shrew mole, ''Urotrichus talpoides''

References

External links

ADW - Talpinae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q678627 Talpidae