Desman

Subfamily of Eurasian insectivores From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Desman

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

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Living genera ...
Desmanini[1]
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Recent
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Russian desman (Desmana moschata)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Subfamily: Talpinae
Tribe: Desmanini
Thomas, 1912
Living genera

For fossil genera, see text

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This tribe consists of two living species found in Europe: the Russian desman (Desmana moschata) in European Russia, and the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees. Both species are endangered, the Russian desman critically so.[2][3] They have webbed paws and their front paws are not well-adapted for digging. Desmans were much more diverse and widespread during the Miocene, with two genera, Gaillardia and Magnatalpa, being present in North America.[4][5] Both living species are thought to have derived from the fossil genus Archaeodesmana.[6]

Species

  • Genus Desmana
  • Genus Galemys
  • Genus †Asthenoscapter Miocene, Europe[7]
  • Genus †Archaeodesmana Miocene-Pliocene, Europe
  • Genus †Desmanella Miocene, Europe[8][9]
  • Genus †Gaillardia Miocene, North America
  • Genus †Mygalinia Late Miocene, Hungary
  • Genus †Magnatalpa Miocene-Pliocene, North America[5]
  • Genus †Ruemkelia[10]

In the media

  • Morelle, Rebecca (2012-09-04). "Pyrenean desman: On the trail of Europe's weirdest beast". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2012-09-05. video report
  • "Russians rally for water mammal". BBC News Online. 2006-06-09. Retrieved 2012-09-05.

References

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