The subfamily Talpinae, sometimes called "Old World moles" or "Old World moles and relatives", is one of three subfamilies of the

mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole", mammals in the family Talpidae, found in Eurasia and North America * Golden moles, southern African mammals in the family Chrysochloridae, similar to but unrelated to Talpida ...

family

Talpidae The family Talpidae () includes the moles (some of whom are called shrew moles and desmans) who are small insectivorous mammals of the order Eulipotyphla. Talpids are all digging animals to various degrees: moles are completely subterranean ...

, the others being the

Scalopinae The Scalopinae, or New World moles, are one of three subfamilies of the family Talpidae, which consists of moles and mole-like animals; the other two subfamilies being the Old World talpids (the Talpinae) and the Chinese shrew-like moles ( Urops ...

, or New World moles, and the

Uropsilinae The shrew moles or shrew-like moles (''Uropsilus'') are shrew-like members of the mole family of mammals endemic to the forested, high-alpine region bordering China, Myanmar, and Vietnam. They possess a long snout, a long slender tail, external ...

, or shrew-like moles. These mammals in the order

Eulipotyphla Eulipotyphla (, which means "truly fat and blind") is an order of mammals suggested by molecular methods of phylogenetic reconstruction, which includes the laurasiatherian members of the now-invalid polyphyletic order Lipotyphla, but not the ...

mainly live under ground. The species in this group are all found in

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

, 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 with respect to the

, with Desmanini being the most basal member, then a clade comprising

Neurotrichini Neurotrichini is a tribe within the subfamily Talpinae of the mole family. It includes the living genus '' Neurotrichus'' with a single living species, the American shrew-mole (''Neurotrichus gibbsii''). While today restricted to the New World, f ...

, Scaptonychini, and

Urotrichini Urotrichini is a tribe of the mole family, and consists of Japanese and American shrew-moles. They belong to the Old World moles and relatives branch of the mole family (Talpidae). There are only two species, each of which represents its own g ...

, then the

Condylurini ''Condylura'' is a genus of moles that contains a single extant species, the star-nosed mole ''(Condylura cristata)'' endemic to the northern parts of North America. It is also the only living member of the tribe Condylurini. While today endemic ...

(otherwise classified in the

), and then

Talpini Talpini is a tribe of mammals known as Old World Moles. It is a division of the subfamily Talpinae. This tribe contains the following genera and species: * Tribe Talpini ** Genus '' Euroscaptor'' *** Greater Chinese mole, ''E. grandis'' ** ...

and

Scalopini The Scalopini are a tribe of moles belonging to the family Talpidae. They include all the New World moles apart from the strikingly distinctive star-nosed mole. As the similarity of the names implies, they are the standard form of the Scalopinae ...

being sister groups to one another. The list of species is: * Subfamily Talpinae ** Tribe Desmanini *** Genus ''

Desmana ''Desmana'' is a genus of mole that contains a single living species, the Russian desman ''(Desmana moschata)''. A number of fossil species are known from throughout Eurasia. The oldest species is ''Desmana marci'' from the earliest Pliocene of ...

'' ****

Russian desman The Russian desman (''Desmana moschata'') (russian: выхухоль ''vykhukhol'') is a small semiaquatic mammal that inhabits the Volga, Don and Ural River basins in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It constructs burrows into the banks of pond ...

, ''Desmana moschata'' *** Genus ''

Galemys ''Galemys'' is a genus of mole containing the living Pyrenean desman ''(Galemys pyrenaicus)'' and several fossil species. Many of these extinct species were far more widespread than the living species; for example, the Early Pleistocene ''Galemy ...

'' ****

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'' ** Tribe

*** Genus ''

Neurotrichus ''Neurotrichus'' is a genus of shrew-like moles. It is classified, together with the fossil genus '' Quyania'', in the tribe Neurotrichini of the subfamily Talpinae. The only living species is the American shrew-mole (''N. gibbsii'') of the n ...

'' ****

American shrew mole The American shrew mole (''Neurotrichus gibbsii'') is the smallest species of mole. It is the only living member of the genus ''Neurotrichus'' and the tribe Neurotrichini. It is also known as Gibb's shrew mole and least shrew mole. It is not c ...

, ''Neurotrichus gibbsii'' ** Tribe Scaptonychini *** Genus '' Scaptonyx'' **** Long-tailed mole, ''Scaptonyx fusicauda'' ** Tribe

***Genus ''

Euroscaptor ''Euroscaptor'' is a genus of mammal in the family Talpidae. Members are found in China and South & Southeast Asia. It contains the following species as of October 2021: * Greater Chinese mole (''Euroscaptor grandis'') * Kloss's mole (''Euros ...

'' ****

Greater Chinese mole The greater Chinese mole (''Euroscaptor grandis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in China and potentially Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions r ...

, ''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 The Ngoc Linh mole (''Euroscaptor ngoclinhensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to central Vietnam. It was named after Ngọc Linh mountain, which it was first discovered in the vicinity of. Taxonomy ''E. ngocli ...

, ''E. ngoclinhensis'' **** Orlov's mole, ''E. orlovi'' **** Small-toothed mole, ''E. parvidens'' **** Vietnamese mole, ''E. subanura'' *** Genus ''

Mogera ''Mogera'' is a genus of mammals in the family Talpidae. Moles in this genus differ from Old World moles in the genus ''Talpa'' in having one fewer pairs of lower incisors and in having larger hind premolars in the lower jaw. Species The gen ...

'' ****

Echigo mole The Echigo mole (''Mogera etigo'') is an endangered species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan, being found only on the Echigo plain, Niigata prefecture is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. N ...

, ''M. etigo'' ****

Small Japanese mole The small Japanese mole (''Mogera imaizumii'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan. Even though they are extinct in central Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京� ...

, ''M. imaizumii'' ****

Insular mole The insular mole (''Mogera insularis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is restricted to Hainan Island and Taiwan, where it is also known as the Formosan blind mole. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1863. ...

, ''M. insularis'' ****

Kano's mole Kano's mole (''Mogera kanoana'') is a species of mole endemic to Taiwan. The specific name ''kanoana'' is derived from Tadao Kano, a Japanese naturalist who made the first record of these animals in 1940s. It is found in the mountainous center ...

, ''M. kanoana'' ****

La Touche's mole La Touche's mole (''Mogera latouchei'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in eastern China and parts of northern Vietnam. It is named after Irish naturalist John David Digues La Touche. It was formerly considered a subs ...

, ''M. latouchei'' ****

Ussuri mole The Ussuri mole or large mole (''Mogera robusta''), is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae, formerlly treated as a subspecies of the Japanese mole. It is found in China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia and lives in a long burrow, s ...

, ''M. robusta'' ****

Sado mole The Sado mole or Tokuda's mole (''Mogera tokudae'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Sado Island is a city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, altho ...

, ''M. tokudae'' ****

Senkaku mole The Senkaku mole (''Mogera uchidai''), also known as the Ryukyu mole, is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It was formerly classified as being the only species in the genus '' Nesoscaptor''. It is endemic to the Uotsuri-jima ( ja, 魚� ...

, ''M. uchidai'' ****

Japanese mole The Japanese mole (''Mogera wogura''), also known as Temminck's mole, is a species of mole endemic to Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacifi ...

, ''M. wogura'' *** Genus '' Oreoscaptor'' **** Japanese mountain mole, ''O. mizura'' *** Genus '' Parascaptor'' ****

White-tailed mole The white-tailed mole (''Parascaptor leucura'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventi ...

, ''P. leucura'' *** Genus '' Scaptochirus'' - China **** Short-faced mole, ''S. moschatus'' *** Genus ''

Talpa Talpa may refer to: Places * Talpa, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran * Talpa, Teleorman, a commune in Teleorman County, Romania * Talpa, a village in Cândeşti Commune, Botoşani County, Romania * Talpa, a village in Bârgăuani Com ...

'' **** Altai mole, ''T. altaica'' ****

Aquitanian mole The Aquitanian mole (''Talpa aquitania'') is a species of small burrowing mammal of the family Talpidae. It is found from the southwest of France to the north of Spain. Closely related to the European mole (''T. europaea''), this species was desc ...

, ''T. aquitania'' ****

Blind mole The blind mole (''Talpa caeca''), also known as the Mediterranean mole, is a mole found in the Mediterranean region. It is similar to the European mole, differing most prominently in having eyes covered with skin. It is found in Albania, France, ...

, ''T. caeca'' ****

Caucasian mole The Caucasian mole (''Talpa caucasica'') is a mammal in the family Talpidae that is endemic to the Caucasus Mountains of Russia and Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Ge ...

, ''T. caucasica'' ****

Père David's mole Père David's mole (''Talpa davidiana'') is a mole found in the Middle East, ranging from south-central Turkey east to Kurdistan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country ...

, ''T. davidiana'' ****

European mole The European mole (''Talpa europaea'') is a mammal of the order Eulipotyphla. It is also known as the common mole and the northern mole. This mole lives in a tunnel system, which it constantly extends. It uses these tunnels to hunt its prey. U ...

, ''T. europaea'' ****

Levant mole The Levant mole (''Talpa levantis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey. There are two subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species ...

, ''T. levantis'' ****

Martino's mole Martino's mole (''Talpa martinorum'') is a species of small blind mole in the family Talpidae found in eastern Thrace along the western Black Sea coast in south-eastern Bulgaria and north-eastern Turkey, mainly in the Strandzha mountain range. I ...

, ''T. martinorum'' ****

Spanish mole The Spanish mole (''Talpa occidentalis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Spain and Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland i ...

, ''T. occidentalis'' ****

Ognev's mole Ognev's mole (''Talpa ognevi'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It occurs in the southeastern coastal area of the Black Sea from northeastern Turkey to Georgia. It inhabits different habitats associated with moist soils in lowland ...

, ''T. ognevi'' ****

Roman mole The Roman mole (''Talpa romana'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in southern Italy. It was last recorded on Sicily in 1885. There is also an unconfirmed report about an isolated subpopulation in the Var region of sout ...

, ''T. romana'' ****

Balkan mole The Balkan mole (''Talpa stankovici'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Greece, including the island of Corfu. References Talpa Mammals of Europe Mammals described i ...

, ''T. stankovici'' ****

Talysch mole The Talysch mole (''Talpa talyschensis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is a small member of the family, which outwardly resembles the Levant mole (''T. levantis''), but is genetically closer to Père David's mole (''T. da ...

, ''T. talyschensis'' ** Tribe

*** Genus '' Dymecodon'' ****

True's shrew mole True's shrew mole (''Dymecodon pilirostris'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan (Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu) and is a common species above 1000 meters in grassland, shrubland and forest. Sometimes this speci ...

, ''Dymecodon pilirostris'' *** Genus '' Urotrichus'' ****

Japanese shrew mole The Japanese shrew mole (''Urotrichus talpoides'') or is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan and is found on Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Awaji Island, Shodo Island, Oki Islands, Tsushima Island, Goto Islands, Mis ...

, ''Urotrichus talpoides''

References

External links

ADW - Talpinae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q678627 Talpidae