Pyrenean desman

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Pyrenean desman [1]
Galemys pyrenaicus 01 by-dpc.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Genus: Galemys
Species:
G. pyrenaicus
Binomial name
Galemys pyrenaicus
(É. Geoffroy, 1811)
Galemys pyrenaicus map.png
  Galemys pyrenaicus pyrenaicus
  Galemys pyrenaicus rufulus

The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), also known as the Iberian desman or trumpet rat, is a species of small semiaquatic mammal in the family Talpidae, endemic to the mountain range of the Pyrenees and mountainous areas of northwestern Iberian Peninsula (mainly the Cantabrian Mountains and the Sistema Central). Its range covers four European countries: Andorra, Spain, France, and Portugal. It is closely related to Russian desman.

Contents

The Pyrenean desman anatomically resembles other animals such as the brown rat (a good swimmer with a robust tail), the European mole (with clawed, powerful legs and a highly sensitive snout), and the common shrew (with an elongated snout capable of catching small arthropods). It is this characteristic trunk-like snout that gives it the alternative name "trumpet rat". Being almost blind, it relies on its highly developed sense of touch to explore its environment, orient itself, and hunt prey. Its mobile and prehensile trunk is equipped at the base with vibrissae and at the tip with Eimer's organs, which are the most advanced tactile organs in the animal kingdom.

The desman is a insectivorous semi-aquatic species that lives exclusively near mountain lakes and fast-flowing, clear-water streams. It feeds almost exclusively on pollution-sensitive aquatic larvae: larvae of stoneflies, caddisflies, and mayflies. Its activity is mainly nocturnal, and it fears humans, making it difficult to observe. Some aspects of its lifestyle remain poorly understood by scientists, particularly its reproductive cycle.

The Pyrenean desman lives only in unaltered and unpolluted watercourses, making it an excellent bioindicator of environmental quality. It cannot tolerate the anthropization of its habitat: the construction of dams, rock armouring of riverbanks, or building of barrages irreversibly destroy its living sites and fragment its habitat. Since 2021, it has been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an Endangered species throughout its range, with its population steadily declining for several decades despite conservation measures implemented since the early 21st century in the countries concerned.

The desman was long considered a pest by local people, particularly fishermen and fish farmers, mainly because its lifestyle and diet were poorly understood. Only from the 1990s did the desman's image change as scientific knowledge about it advanced. The fate of the desman in the 21st century is paradoxical: while it remains unknown to much of the general public and is threatened with extinction, it has become an emblematic animal of the Pyrenean mountains and is increasingly present in regional cultural expression.

Description

General anatomy

Body length of the Pyrenean desman compared to its tail (Museum de Toulouse). Galemys pyrenaicus MHNT.INS.29.jpg
Body length of the Pyrenean desman compared to its tail (Muséum de Toulouse).

The Pyrenean desman measures about 25 cm (9.8 in) in length, more than half of which is the tail, and weighs 50 to 60 g (2.1 oz). [3] There is no marked sexual dimorphism, with females being slightly larger than males. [3] Only careful observation of the external genitalia allows sex determination. [S 1]

The desman has webbed hind feet. This is a rare adaptation among insectivores and justifies its placement in a monotypic genus—the genus Galemys contains only one species. Apart from the desman, this feature is present only in Limnogale, the Ruwenzori otter shrew, and the elegant water shrew.

Otherwise, each part of the body resembles that of a more familiar animal: [S 2]

The dentition consists of 44 teeth, arranged according to the dental formula 3.1.4.3, identical in both jaws. [S 3] This complete dentition is typical and identical to that of European moles. The two front upper incisors are prominent. The first premolar, which is supernumerary, is thought to be a deciduous tooth that has become permanent. [S 3]

Adaptations

Shiny, scaly appearance of the fur when wet. Galemys pyrenaicus 03 by-dpc.jpg
Shiny, scaly appearance of the fur when wet.

On land, the desman's body is rounded and stocky. The fur is grey-brown, glossy with silvery reflections underneath, and tawny in the pectoral region, grouped in small tufts giving the illusion of scales. [S 4] These hairs provide excellent waterproofing through frequent grooming with an oily substance secreted by glands on the abdomen. The desman's fur is perfectly adapted for underwater diving. It consists of two layers: an inner layer of fluffy, silky underfur that never gets wet, and an outer layer of long, flattened guard hairs of unequal length. Underwater, this combination forms a smooth layer that retains maximum body heat by trapping a layer of insulating air. However, this trapped air also causes the animal to float due to Archimedes' principle. The desman must therefore remain constantly in motion underwater to avoid being rapidly pushed to the surface, which increases energy expenditure and counteracts the thermal insulation effect. [S 2]

In water, its preferred environment, the body becomes streamlined, with forelegs folded against the body, robust webbed hind legs spread at 45 degrees acting as paddles, and equipped with very sharp claws for gripping rocks. During dives averaging about twenty seconds, valves close its nostrils. The Pyrenean desman is a fast and powerful swimmer that can move quickly in water and swim upstream, even on the surface. [S 2]

Its eyes are visible though partly hidden by fur. The Pyrenean desman is almost blind, like most members of the family Talpidae, barely able to distinguish light from shadow. [S 2] Its ears lack pinnae and are completely hidden under the fur, consisting of a simple 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) diameter opening. [S 2]

From the rear of the body extends a tail that is broad at the base, tapering, and ending in a small tuft of white hairs. At the base of the tail and on the underside are two musk glands whose swelling is easily visible. [4]

Trunk

At the front of the body is the desman's most characteristic organ: a hypertrophied, hairy-at-the-base and otherwise bare proboscis, about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long, representing a quarter of the animal's body length. [S 4] This trunk is flexible and prehensile, dividing at the tip into two lobes containing the nostrils. Like in the elephant, the trunk results from the evolutionary fusion of the nose and upper lip. [S 2]

This trunk is the desman's most important sensory organ and, like the mole's nose, the most advanced in the animal kingdom for the sense of touch. It uses it to locate prey underwater and perceive its aquatic and terrestrial environment. First, through vibrissae at the base detecting vibrations and movements nearby and far away. Second, through hundreds of thousands of Eimer's organs on the surface of the terminal lobes, whose exceptional sensitivity detects prey in stream beds. Finally, the vomeronasal organ (Jacobson's organ) likely helps detect prey chemically. This organ is located at the entrance to the nasal cavities, which communicate with the mouth via the palate. This highly developed sense of smell allows it to detect larvae up to 5 cm (2.0 in) away underwater. This primitive organ is the only sense of smell in fish and amphibians but is also present in mammalian embryos, including humans. Mammals lose its use at birth as they develop a similar ability using the nasal conchae at the back of the nasal cavities. [S 2]

Cognitive abilities

Scientific studies show that the desman's spatial memory and orientation abilities are excellent and far superior to those of other similarly sized mammals. Each individual can retain the geometry of paths travelled daily as well as the tastes and smells of its territory. Autopsies of desman corpses reveal that the cerebellum, the brain region responsible for orientation and spatial coordination, is very well developed compared to other mammal species. Indeed, the Pyrenean desman's cerebellum is much larger than that of the mole or the Russian desman and, proportionally, only cetaceans have a comparably developed cerebellum. [S 2]

The desman has excellent abilities to recognize and differentiate, by touch, geometric shapes, textures, or surface granularity. It can also recognize a known shape rotated and presented from a different angle. This involves not only tactile abilities but also advanced cerebral capacities such as memory, three-dimensional shape reconstruction, and spatial orientation. [S 2]

Feces

The feces of the desman cannot be confused with those of other species. They are small twisted cylinders 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long, oily in appearance, and range in colour from very dark green to black. They also emit a musky odour that the untrained human nose generally cannot identify. [3]

Feces are most often deposited on a rock out of the water. They serve as a substrate for depositing musk gland secretions, either for territorial marking or to communicate other information between individuals. [3]

Habitat and distribution

Geographic range

Distribution of the two subspecies of Galemys pyrenaicus: Galemys pyrenaicus pyrenaicus Galemys pyrenaicus rufulus Galemys pyrenaicus map.png
Distribution of the two subspecies of Galemys pyrenaicus:
  Galemys pyrenaicus pyrenaicus
  Galemys pyrenaicus rufulus

The Pyrenean desman is an endemic species of the mountainous regions of the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Mountains, and the Iberian Sistema Central. It is mainly found along the following rivers and their tributaries (from north to south and west to east):

Most of these rivers lie on either side of a continental divide or belong to non-contiguous drainage basins; consequently, the desman's geographic distribution is highly fragmented.

The current overall range is a remnant of post-glacial colonisation of new territories via terrestrial corridors and, possibly, a more extensive river network during the Holocene. However, at a more local scale, inter-basin dispersal can be much more recent. [S 6]

Habitat type

A stream strewn with many rocks - the preferred habitat of the Pyrenean desman (here on the Noguera Ribagorcana). Barranco de Viu 02.JPG
A stream strewn with many rocks – the preferred habitat of the Pyrenean desman (here on the Noguera Ribagorçana).

The desman's characteristic habitat consists of oligotrophic streams at low, medium, and high altitude – i.e., clear, nutrient-poor waters. The current must be sufficiently fast and the flow permanent. The desman avoids intermittent streams and poorly oxygenated stagnant waters, but readily adapts to high-altitude lakes, whether natural or artificial. [S 7]

The rivers where the desman lives are generally free from anthropogenic pollution. The larvae it feeds on are sensitive to the slightest changes in acidity, temperature, oxygenation, or water opacity. The presence of the desman along a river is therefore an indicator of high water quality, making it a reliable bioindicator. [S 7]

Several environmental factors influence its distribution. Altitude does not appear to be the most limiting factor; other characteristics, particularly climatic and geological, are considered more important. [S 7] [7]

Altitudinal limits

The Lacs d'Ayous, in the French Pyrenees, a territory inhabited by the desman. Lac Pic du Midi d Ossau.jpg
The Lacs d'Ayous, in the French Pyrenees, a territory inhabited by the desman.

The desman has a certain capacity to adapt to altitude, although it prefers mid- and high-mountain environments. In France, it has been recorded at 15 m (49 ft) above sea level near Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. This case appears exceptional; in other French Pyrenean departments where systematic surveys have been conducted (Ariège, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales), it occurs from 400 m (1,300 ft) upward. On the Spanish side of the range, where rainfall is much lower, the minimum altitude is 1,000 m (3,300 ft). [S 7]

The highest recorded altitudes are 2,021 m (6,631 ft) on the French side at the Lacs d'Ayous  [ fr ] in the upper Ossau Valley (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) and 2,500 m (8,200 ft) on the Spanish side. [S 7]

Populations living on the shores of the Lacs d'Ayous in the Pyrenees National Park have a particular lifestyle and habitat. This group of about ten lakes is frozen for six months of the year. Since the desman does not hibernate, these populations are thought to take refuge in underground rivers for part of the year and are therefore troglophile. [S 8]

The desman's range correlates well with areas receiving more than 1,000 mm (39 in) of annual precipitation. Research at the CNRS laboratory in Moulis (Ariège) shows that the desman needs relatively deep streams to thrive, which requires substantial and regular rainfall. Observations in the Salat basin upstream of Saint-Girons reveal that the desman is present only on left-bank tributaries receiving 1,500 mm (59 in) annually, while it is completely absent from right-bank tributaries where annual precipitation does not exceed 900 mm (35 in). [7]

Analysis of the bedrock using Franco-Iberian geological maps shows that most of the desman's territory is restricted to areas with metamorphic or magmatic substrates: granite, syenite, basalt, marble, slate, gneiss, schist. Rivers flowing over sedimentary terrain are avoided [7]

Depending on the geology of the rocks traversed, streams carry greater or lesser amounts of alluvium, which clouds the water and promotes the growth of microscopic and macroscopic algae. The larvae on which the desman feeds are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, particularly light levels, and prefer waters poor in particles and aquatic plants. The desman therefore favours crystalline substrates and survives less well in environments with high levels of fine sediment. [7]

Population estimates

According to 1993 data from the Pyrenees National Park, the desman was then present in 236 zones in the French Pyrenees (one zone representing a square of approximately 71.5 km2 (27.6 sq mi), or about 8 km (5.0 mi) per side), covering a total habitat area of 1,687,400 ha (4,170,000 acres). However, this figure is misleading: the desman lives only along the watercourses within these zones, not across the entire area, so its actual living space is much smaller. [8]

Using the same population-density data, the number of individuals per square kilometre was estimated at around one. Extrapolating this density across the entire French Pyrenees yields a population of fewer than 17,000 individuals on the French side. [8] Studies from the 2010s report higher densities: 2–5 individuals per linear kilometre on the French side and 3–7 individuals per linear kilometre in Spain. [S 9] Locally, under optimal environmental conditions, densities can be even higher. [S 9]

Some specialists consider this population sufficient to maintain a birth rate above the species' regeneration threshold and thus increase numbers, but rising mortality keeps the population stable. Reversing this precarious trend would put the species at risk. [8]

Life cycle

Territory and lifestyle

Pyrenean desman swimming on the surface of the water (Spanish Basque Country). Galemys - Esnaola et al 2018.png
Pyrenean desman swimming on the surface of the water (Spanish Basque Country).

The desman lives in a well-defined territory, either alone or as a pair, although wandering individuals have also been observed. The size of the home range varies depending on location (food abundance, population density) and the sex of the individual. Each animal knows its territory perfectly, which on average extends over a few hundred metres of river. Females occupy about 250 m (820 ft) of linear watercourse, males 450 m (1,480 ft), and pairs sharing the same sector up to 800 m (2,600 ft). Members of a pair stay apart, with male and female using different resting burrows although within the same territory. Some studies suggest the female occupies the centre while the male remains on the periphery. [S 2]

Exploratory behaviour by juveniles or seasonal migration by adults cannot be ruled out. [S 9]

Recent studies reveal social interactions and possibly a social structure. Territories of several individuals (same or opposite sex) may overlap, and encounters do not trigger aggressive behaviour. [S 10] An individual typically uses 2–3 resting sites, up to 7 at most, and these may be shared with others. [S 9]

The desman checks its territory daily and registers any changes. Using a technique called "drumming", in which it strikes the water surface with its forepaws, it generates regular waves (low-frequency acoustic waves) whose reflections allow it to detect alterations in the environment. This form of echolocation is similar to that used by dolphins. [S 2] It has also been observed that the desman continuously releases small air bubbles during underwater movement (which incidentally limits dive duration). The purpose is uncertain; some researchers suggest it may be another form of echolocation, [S 2] while others link it to olfactory activity via the vomeronasal organ. [3]

Resting burrows are not dug by the desman itself but are usually pre-existing excavations made by other species along the bank or natural cavities among roots or rocks. [S 5] Numerous experiments on captive desmans show that a burrow consists of a long entrance tunnel about ten centimetres wide leading to a chamber lined with moss, twigs, and grass that serves as a nest. One individual may regularly use several burrows. Frequent bank reinforcement works using stone deprive the desman of suitable sites and contribute to its gradual disappearance. [8]

Activities

Daily rhythm

Taxidermied desman in a dynamic pose. Desman des Pyrenees 01.jpg
Taxidermied desman in a dynamic pose.

The Pyrenean desman's life alternates between periods of activity in water and rest on land inside the burrow. Activity is bimodal but primarily nocturnal. [S 11] Analysis of the daily activity pattern shows that nocturnal activity lasts about eight hours, peaking between 23:00 and 05:00 and ending around 07:00. Diurnal activity lasts one to three hours in early afternoon. [S 10] [S 11] The animal spends half the day in the nest. Thunderstorms with heavy rain delay emergence by several hours. [S 11]

From February to May, diurnal activity is stronger and lasts more than two hours; this corresponds to the breeding season. In autumn, diurnal activity is minimal while nocturnal activity increases and is often split into two five-hour periods with a rest phase in the middle of the night. [S 10]

Locomotion

The desman can swim against the current and climb waterfalls by gripping rocks with its long claws. [S 2] On land, the desman limps because of the large size of its hind limbs and walks on the tips of its claws. [S 2]

Its rare terrestrial movements along banks or on mid-river rocks are rest periods devoted to grooming and drying its thick fur. It takes many breaks between dives. The ritual begins with vigorous shaking, then meticulous brushing of the coat with the claws of the hind feet, coating it with an oily waterproof secretion from the sebaceous glands. [S 2]

Reproduction

Sexual activity lasts from December to May in males and February to June in females, varying by region according to temperature, climate, and altitude. There is no strict breeding season, but three gestation peaks occur in February, March, and May. Females may have several litters per year, but this has never been confirmed. [S 5]

No data exist on gestation length; it has never been observed, nor have newborns younger than three months. However, as a member of the Talpidae family, gestation is estimated by analogy at 30–40 d (3,500 ks). Lactation lasts about four to five weeks. [9]

Parturition, never observed, certainly occurs in underground burrows. Litter size is at most five, more commonly three to four. The female has eight teats: two pectoral, two abdominal, and four inguinal. Sexual maturity is reached after a few weeks. [S 5]

Lifespan

Males and females live three to four years. Marked individuals have been recaptured at most three years after initial capture, and examination of dentition in 87 animals shows no individual older than four years. [S 2]

Breeding in captivity has never occurred. If the enclosure does not meet its requirements, a captive desman will waste away. [S 2]

Diet

Foraging

Searching for food on the stream bed is the desman's main activity. It detects prey using its highly developed tactile and olfactory senses—liquid-phase olfaction via the vomeronasal organ and especially touch through the trunk's vibrissae and Eimer's organs. These allow detection either at a distance (by movement or odour) or by direct contact. Accurate prey location in water is possible up to 5 cm (2.0 in), though mere presence can be sensed over several tens of centimetres. [S 2]

The desman cannot chase swimming prey or items swept away by current. It therefore preferentially feeds on bottom-dwelling larvae in calmer water or, rarely, on insects approaching the surface. [S 2]

Food

The desman has a high metabolism and must consume daily one-third to half its body weight (20–30 g (0.71–1.06 oz)). In mid-winter, when water is coldest, intake can equal its full body weight (60 g (2.1 oz)). The mountain winter period (January–April) coincides with both reproduction and peak prey biomass. [S 2]

Analysis of stomach contents, faeces, and captive observations show the diet consists mainly of benthic invertebrate larvae from three orders: mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies. Morphological identification suggested a specialised predator. [S 12] [10] However, molecular analysis of faeces in the 2010s provided greater precision: these three orders make up 80 % of prey items but only one-third of identified species. Additional prey include fly larvae and crustaceans such as freshwater shrimp. A wide variety of other taxa are occasionally taken: beetles, lacewings, true bugs, moths, dragonflies, millipedes and centipedes, arachnids, newts, snails, and fish. [S 13] [S 14]

Strictly terrestrial prey (spiders, grasshoppers, earthworms) account for 10 % of captures and over one-third of species; they are less abundant outside summer and may result from active hunting, chance encounters, or accidental drowning. [S 13]

Unlike the much heavier Russian desman, [S 2] the Pyrenean desman has rarely been observed eating fish or frogs, [S 15] which has been confirmed by molecular faecal analysis. [S 13]

The desman appears to prefer energy-rich caddisfly larvae, which it hunts by diving for 15–20 s (0.25–0.33 min). Their larger size makes them easier to catch and provides high energy return for low effort. Small prey are swallowed underwater; larger larvae are eaten out of water on the bank or a rock, sitting on the hind legs and pushing them into the mouth with the prehensile trunk. [S 2] Dietary diversification may be a response to changes in aquatic communities caused by stress such as pollution or seasonal variations in climate and flow. [S 13]

For a long time scientists believed the desman itself was highly sensitive to anthropogenic pollution, but in reality the larvae it eats die at the slightest alteration in water clarity, acidity, or oxygenation. Monitoring physico-chemical parameters of the desman's aquatic environment (e.g. BOD analysis) is therefore essential. [S 2]

Predation

The American mink, a predator of the Pyrenean desman. MinkforWiki.jpg
The American mink, a predator of the Pyrenean desman.

The desman is preyed upon primarily by the Eurasian otter. Other known predators include the common buzzard, northern pike, stoat, tawny owl, white stork, grey heron, and black-crowned night heron. Predation by the barn owl appears extremely rare. [S 5]

The invasive American mink, widespread in the Cantabrian Mountains, poses a threat in Spain, where many predation cases are recorded. [S 5] Domestic dogs and cats are also a threat. [S 16]

Parasitism

Most aquatic invertebrate species eaten by the desman, whether larval or adult, can serve as intermediate hosts for parasitic worms. [S 17] The most common trematode is Omphalometra flexuosa, shared with the European mole; its encysted larval stage is found in the freshwater shrimp Gammarus pulex. [S 17] Maritrema pyrenaica is a trematode shared with the Eurasian water shrew; its first intermediate host is the snail Bythinella reyniesii, with larvae later encysting in the shrimp Echinogammarus berilloni. [S 17] The trematode Mathovius galemydis [S 17] and the nematode Paracuaria hispanica [S 18] occur only in Iberian desmans and use aquatic arthropods or crustaceans as intermediate hosts.

The external mite Eadiea longisetosa, shared with the Russian desman, lives in the fur. [S 19]

The full parasite fauna of the desman is probably not yet known. [S 20] For example, the trematode Pseudocephalotrema pyrenaica is common in typical desman habitats and may infect it, though this has not been formally proven. [S 17]

Taxonomy

Pyrenean desman. Somewhat unrealistic illustration from before 1880 (collections of the University of Amsterdam). Myogale pyrenaica - 1700-1880 - Print - Iconographia Zoologica - Special Collections University of Amsterdam - UBA01 IZ20900157 (cropped 4).png
Pyrenean desman. Somewhat unrealistic illustration from before 1880 (collections of the University of Amsterdam).
Skull and jaws of the nominate subspecies of the Pyrenean desman (University of Amsterdam collections). Myogale pyrenaica - 1700-1880 - Print - Iconographia Zoologica - Special Collections University of Amsterdam - UBA01 IZ20900157 (cropped 3).png
Skull and jaws of the nominate subspecies of the Pyrenean desman (University of Amsterdam collections).

The type locality is in France "in the mountains near Tarbes", in the Hautes-Pyrénées department. [S 21] The holotype – the stuffed specimen that served as the reference for the original description – is preserved at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris. [11]

In 1829 the species was transferred to the genus Galemys , of which it is the type species, by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup. [S 21]

Etymology

The generic name Galemys is formed from the Ancient Greek γαλῆ (galễ, "weasel") and μῦς (mûs, "mouse"). [S 4]

The word "desman" comes from Swedish desman ("musk"), a diminutive of desmanrätte ("muskrat"), itself derived from Middle Low German Desem and Medieval Latin bisamum, both meaning "musk". [12] [13]

Synonymy

Galemys pyrenaicus has the following synonyms:

Vernacular names

In French, the taxon bears the standardised common names "Desman des Pyrénées" [S 22] and "Desman ibérique", [S 3] as well as the vernacular names "Rat-trompette" [9] and, more rarely, "Taupe des Pyrénées". [4]

Phylogeny

The Pyrenean desman is an insectivorous mammal in the family Talpidae, subfamily Desmaninae, and the only living species in the genus Galemys. Its closest living relative and the only other desmanine is the much larger Russian desman ( Desmana moschata ), which inhabits the basins of the Volga, Ural, and Don rivers. [S 7]

The diploid chromosome number is 42. Karyological studies confirm the desman's similarity to the genus Talpa and thus its placement among the Eulipotyphla in the family Talpidae. [S 3] [S 23] However, genetic analyses of both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA give more ambiguous results regarding the position of desmans within the family: some place them equidistant from the tribes Condylurini (including the star-nosed mole) and Talpini (including the European mole and Spanish mole), while others place them closer to the Talpini. [S 23] These same analyses confirm the close relationship between the Pyrenean and Russian desmans and their placement in distinct, monophyletic genera. [S 23]

Subspecies

Two subspecies of the Pyrenean desman are recognised:

The subspecies rufulus was described in 1897 by the Spanish naturalist Mariano de la Paz Graells as the variety Myogalea pyrenaica var. rufula, based on specimens captured in the Valsaín Valley in the Sierra de Guadarrama in central Spain. [14] Graells justified the new taxon by the yellowish fur colour giving the animal a golden appearance underwater, as well as bright yellow skin and claws on both fore- and hind feet; the nominate form differs by brownish fur giving a silvery appearance underwater and brown feet. [14]

In the 2000s the two subspecies are geographically well separated: pyrenaicus occurs in the Pyrenees on both French and Spanish slopes, while rufulus inhabits the other mountain ranges of northwestern Iberia. Colour differences are no longer considered reliable, and the subspecies are distinguished mainly by cranial morphometrics [S 24]

Paleontology

Fossil remains attest to the presence of various desmanine species across Europe, from the Urals to the Atlantic coast, from the middle Miocene around 15 million years ago until the end of that period 5.3 million years ago. The two living desman species are thus remnants of much larger populations that were fragmented by successive glaciations. The Russian desman is morphologically and in size much closer to primitive desmanines than the Pyrenean desman, whose stages of adaptation to mountain environments and speciation remain unknown. Molecular analyses date the divergence of the two species (and thus the two genera) to about 10 million years ago. [S 25]

The genus Galemys is known from the late Pliocene (2.6 million years ago), after which its range steadily contracted from central and western Europe to its southwestern margin—the Iberian Peninsula—the only region whose mountains were not covered by ice during the last glaciations and which therefore acted as a refuge. [S 25] This shows that the genus Galemys was already specialised for fast-flowing mountain waters and that the Pyrenean desman is a relict species. [15]

The evolutionary divergence between the subfamilies Talpinae and Desmaninae is poorly documented in the fossil record. Molecular analyses indicate that this split occurred around 37 million years ago, at the transition from the middle to late Eocene. [S 25]

Anthropogenic threats

Weir on the Salat at Saint-Girons in Ariege. Salat a St. Girons.JPG
Weir on the Salat at Saint-Girons in Ariège.

The Pyrenean desman is a highly specialised species for life in mountain streams, a habitat that is disappearing as mountains become anthropised. [15] The main threat is therefore habitat fragmentation caused by various developments. The future of the desman, both in France and on the Iberian Peninsula, depends essentially on the conservation and restoration of its natural habitat. [16] [17]

Various dangers arising from early 21st-century urban and technological expansion threaten the desman: water impoundments that cause sudden changes in river level and temperature; weirs and other structures that fragment its habitat; artificial bank reinforcement and wetland drainage that directly destroy habitat; and diverse forms of pollution that alter the aquatic ecosystem. Changes in current, depth, acidity, and oxygen content kill the invertebrate larvae that form the desman's food supply. [16]

Water impoundments

Dam and refuge at Lac d'Oo in the Pyrenees. Lac d'Oo refuge.jpg
Dam and refuge at Lac d'Oô in the Pyrenees.

In France, Article 2 of Law 84-512 of 29 June 1984 requires a minimum flow downstream of impoundments. [18] However, Portuguese, Spanish, and French scientists disagree on whether the defined flow is sufficient, as excessively low summer flows are lethal to many species.

To assess whether dams and other river installations pose a real danger, biotic water analyses were carried out upstream and downstream of the Lac de Bious-Artigues dam in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and upstream and downstream of the highly polluting paper mill at Eycheil on the Salat in Ariège. These showed no significant change in water quality between upstream and downstream of the dam. Impoundments therefore do not a priori threaten the desman's food supply. [8]

Another danger from artificial reservoirs is flushing: sudden large releases of water evacuate accumulated sediment, increasing turbidity and opacity downstream and disturbing many animal species, including the desman. [19]

Bank reinforcement with riprap

River with artificialised banks. Amenagement de berge lit de plancon - Avizo Experts-Conseils.jpg
River with artificialised banks.

A 1998 study published in the journal of the Pyrenees National Park documented desman population changes before and after riprap reinforcement of the banks of the Gave d'Aspe in the Aspe Valley. This modification reduced available resting sites: of 25 historically occupied sites where banks were altered, only six remained occupied after 1998. [8]

The desman uses burrows dug by other animals or natural cavities for shelter. Since the 2000s, many Pyrenean municipalities have reinforced riverbanks, mainly to protect infrastructure from flooding. To mitigate this, artificial wooden burrows lined with natural moss and dead leaves have been tested since the 2010s on streams with low human access to provide alternative resting sites. [16]

Water intakes

Numerous accidental desman deaths are recorded at industrial, agricultural, and private water intakes. Individuals readily enter feeder canals and become trapped in small-diameter pipes or against protective grilles at high-flow intakes. [16]

Water pollution

Physico-chemical water pollution disrupts and alters mountain stream ecosystems. Any change in temperature, turbidity, acidity, or oxygenation can cause the disappearance of the insect larvae that form the desman's primary food. [8]

Fishing and fish farming

Fish-farm installations in the Aldudes, French Basque Country. Aldudes Pisciculture 2.JPG
Fish-farm installations in the Aldudes, French Basque Country.

Until the 2000s, some anglers and fish farmers killed desmans, accusing them of eating fish. This bad reputation stemmed from folklore, lack of knowledge, and erroneous journalistic reports in the 1980s and 1990s showing photographs of desmans eating fish—photographs taken of captive individuals fed only fish. [S 5]

Awareness campaigns in the 2010s targeting the public, anglers, and fish farmers have improved the desman's image. Dissemination of best practices, such as collecting broken fishing line, aims to prevent accidental deaths by drowning or strangulation. [16]

Tourism

Because desman activity is mainly nocturnal, it is little disturbed by tourist activities. However, certain water sports that involve trampling stream beds, particularly canyoning, severely damage the benthic fauna on which the desman feeds, with significant indirect impact. Some studies predict local extinction in heavily used areas such as the Sierra de Guara in the Spanish Pyrenees. [S 5]

Climate change

Modelling of the future distribution of the Pyrenean desman under 2070–2099 climate scenarios highlights threats from climate change. Average summer temperature and water balance emerge as the main factors driving significant range reductions. The most severe scenarios predict total extinction from the Iberian Sistema Central and northern Portugal, with confinement to high-altitude zones in the remaining massifs (Cantabrian Mountains and Pyrenees). Assisted migration of desmans could be a long-term conservation strategy. [S 26]

Conservation

Population status

The desman population appeared to have stabilised in the 1980s, but in the 2020s the species seems endangered once again. In 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgraded the species from "Vulnerable" to "Endangered", due to the significant and ongoing population decline observed for several years. It is specified that the desman population has declined by nearly 50% across its entire range since 2011.

On the French side of the Pyrenees alone, since 2000 the desman has disappeared from 60% of the watercourses it inhabited. The strongest regression is in the western part of the Pyrenean range, mainly at low altitude, whereas in the eastern part populations are holding steady at all altitudes. Population densities are also higher in the east, reaching 10 individual per km² in the Aude basin. In 2017, the species' status on the French Red List of Mammals was thus reassessed from "Near Threatened" to "Vulnerable". [20] [S 9]

In Spain the desman is classified as "Vulnerable" in the Atlas y libro rojo de los mamíferos terrestres de España (Red List of Mammals of Spain) and even "Critically Endangered" in the Sistema Central since 2007. In Portugal it is also classified as "Vulnerable" since 2005 and in Andorra as "Critically Endangered" since 2013. [S 16]

France

The Pyrenean desman has benefited from total protection on French territory since the ministerial decree of 17 April 1981 relating to protected mammals across the entire territory. [21] Its habitat is also protected by Article L.411-1 of the French Environmental Code  [ fr ] and by the ministerial decree of April 23, 2007. [9] It is listed in Annex II of the Bern Convention and in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive Fauna-Flora 97/62/EEC. [9] It is therefore prohibited to destroy, mutilate, capture, or intentionally disturb it, as well as to destroy or degrade its habitat. Whether alive or dead, it is also prohibited to transport, possess, sell, or buy it. [9]

In 2021, fifty-six Natura 2000 sites are recorded for the Pyrenean desman. [S 16]

One of the main difficulties in implementing conservation policies for the species is that it remains poorly known to scientists, particularly regarding its reproduction and social behaviour. [9]

Ensuring the protection of the desman in the Pyrenees and on the Iberian Peninsula ensures the nature conservation of the species, whose precariousness has been recognised by scientists. Joint reflections by Spanish, Portuguese, and French teams since the early 2000s point in this direction. Expansion of the Pyrenees National Park has been proposed, on both the Spanish and French sides, as well as the adoption of stricter regulations protecting endangered animals. The creation of a "sanctuary zone" at the heart of the national park, where no human could enter, has also been proposed. [S 5]

The white-throated dipper shares the habitat of the Pyrenean desman. Cinclus cinclus R(ThKraft).jpg
The white-throated dipper shares the habitat of the Pyrenean desman.

In 2010, a national action plan (NAP) for 2010–2015 was launched in France by the Ministry of Ecology. It was followed by a LIFE+ project from 2014 to 2020, coordinated by the Midi-Pyrénées conservatory of natural spaces  [ fr ] and co-funded 50% by the European Union and the rest by French institutions (DREAL  [ fr ] Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, departmental councils, water agencies) and private actors (EDF, SHEM  [ fr ]) for a total of €2.6 million. [S 9] These two desman conservation programmes have brought together all stakeholders and raised awareness among elected officials and populations, leading to the inclusion of habitat protection in hydraulic development projects. [S 16]

The LIFE+ "Desman" project also includes field testing of various solutions, particularly concerning the desman's habitat. Thus, heavily degraded or anthropised river sections have been rehabilitated (riparian vegetation, artificial cavities and burrows, etc.), while others downstream of reservoirs have been transformed into "refuge zones" that can serve individuals during major water releases. [16]

In 2021, a new national action plan for 2021–2030 in favour of the Pyrenean desman is being finalised by the Ministry of Ecology (France). [S 16] The desman is an indicator of a healthy, unpolluted nature and prompts reflection on the overall management of Pyrenean and European waters. Indeed, the scientific component of the LIFE+ "Desman" programme has shown that the desman is an umbrella species, meaning that conservation measures for the desman also benefit many other species in Pyrenean watercourses, such as the Eurasian otter, the Pyrenean brook salamander, the Eurasian water shrew, trouts, or the white-throated dipper. [9]

Spain

At the turn of the 2000s, Spanish authorities became aware that no reliable and official data existed on desman populations in the country, while informal reports of the desman's disappearance from certain historical territories multiplied. Without strong action from stakeholders, the continued decline of the species seemed inevitable. [22]

The conservation area of the Sierra de Gredos is part of the desman's range. Zona interes protegido.desman iberico.garganta ancha.casas del monte.Caceres.jpg
The conservation area of the Sierra de Gredos is part of the desman's range.

From the mid-2000s, a dynamic emerged with a clear increase in the number of scientific studies on the desman, improving knowledge of the species and ultimately strengthening conservation programmes. The main actors are university laboratories, but also private consultancies and public structures of local and regional authorities. Funders and project leaders are the Ministry of Ecology, the Fundación Biodiversidad, and the European Union. [S 16]

Two LIFE projects are being conducted in Spain. The LIFE+ "Margal Ulla" project ran from 2010 to 2015 and focused on restoring populations along the Ulla River in Galicia. The broader LIFE+ "Desmania" project, led by the Fundación Biodiversidad, ran from 2012 to 2018 across 33 special conservation areas for the desman. It includes scientific studies on the desman (biology, predation), population protection, habitat restoration, and public awareness. [S 16]

One flagship action of the LIFE+ project concerns the restoration of riparian woodlands, which has a positive impact on benthic invertebrate populations that the desman feeds on, as well as on ichthyofauna and thus on recreational activities such as sport fishing. This adds value to the local economy and improves local population buy-in. Other positive impacts include improved water balance in affected watercourses and improved water quality. [22]

Portugal

A LIFE project "Natural habitats and flora species of Portugal" was conducted from 1994 to 1997 by the Nature Conservation Institute (ICN). The results of the scientific work from this programme enabled the drafting of a reference document for the conservation of the species and the protection of its habitat. These recommendations are included in the sectoral plan for the Natura 2000 network and transcribed into Portuguese legislation. [S 16]

Since the mid-2000s, scientific studies have updated knowledge on the species, particularly its geographic distribution and the impact of hydroelectric dams. [S 16]

In 2014, a report from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity indicated an unfavourable conservation status for the desman and made it a priority for the coming years. This report highlighted a new threat to the desman in Portugal: the spread of certain invasive plant species such as silver wattle and tree of heaven. [15]

That same year, an action plan was undertaken with the establishment of a monitoring network for the species in the north of the country to minimise population loss and habitat disappearance. The plan also emphasises immediate concrete measures. First, the ecological rehabilitation of the numerous dams and artificial lakes present in the desman's range. Second, improving water quality, particularly by banning the use of agrochemical products that may end up in watercourses. As an umbrella species, such measures benefit the entire aquatic biodiversity. Finally, the action plan mentions the systematic collection of waste on riverbanks. [15]

Andorra

Scientific studies have been conducted since 2002 under the aegis of the Environment Department of the Andorran government, with the aim in particular of mapping the species' distribution in the principality. [S 16]

A 2018 study censusing desman populations over two periods, 2000–2003 and 2013–2017, shows a 70% regression in Andorra and 43% in neighbouring Catalonia. The causes are multiple but mainly linked to territorial urbanisation: increased water withdrawals from rivers, public works near riverbeds, changes in hydroelectric dam management, and severe flooding episodes. In contrast, no link with climate change effects has been demonstrated. [S 27]

In 2019, a law was under study by the Andorran government to launch a restoration plan for threatened species including the desman and their inclusion in environmental assessment procedures. [S 16]

Human relations

History

Despite being widespread in the Pyrenees, a mountain range inhabited by humans for centuries, the Pyrenean desman has always been very poorly known to humans and was long the subject of unfounded beliefs. Testimonies collected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Pyrenean peasants claim that the desman hunts trout and feeds on fresh fish. Others claim that in summer desmans can be seen sleeping in the shade of haystacks in the middle of fields. These seem more like deeply rooted popular beliefs than reliable information from actual observations. One explanation is that the desman can easily be confused with other small rodents or semi-aquatic mammals that are more commonly seen; another is that, in case of doubt, it is easy to accuse an animal of being a pest in order to eliminate it. [S 2]

Similarly, the complete absence of the desman in Pyrenean toponymy, unlike other widespread species such as the brown bear or the chamois, proves its profound lack of recognition by the populations that share its territory. [S 5]

Until the 1990s, anglers wrongly accused it of devouring trout and other fish sought for consumption. The reasons were, once again, poor knowledge of the species and its diet, and the publication of erroneous articles in popular natural history magazines, notably a series of photographs showing captive desmans fed with fish. [S 5]

Scientific knowledge

The desman long remained unknown to scientists and scholars. It was discovered, described, and classified late, at the beginning of the 19th century, by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, who received several dead specimens. Subsequent studies were rare; Eugène Trutat in 1891 and Puisségur in the 1930s mainly studied the anatomy of a few trapped individuals, the animal proving very difficult to observe in the wild and impossible to raise in captivity. In the 1950s, Peyre succeeded in keeping specimens in captivity without managing to breed them and drew superficial (and sometimes incorrect) conclusions about its habits and diet. The few observations were made on captive specimens, and the desman's life cycle in its natural habitat remained unknown at that time. [S 28]

Only in the 1980s did in-depth scientific studies begin to focus on the desman in its natural environment, particularly its distribution, habitat, and especially its diet, which had been the subject of many rumours. In the 21st century, many aspects of the Pyrenean desman's life remain unknown. For example, it was only with the extensive LIFE+ study programme from 2015 to 2020 that nomadic behaviour was demonstrated in many individuals. Sedentary and territorial behaviour had previously been considered the norm for the vast majority of the population. [9] As of 2022, no one has ever observed a juvenile desman, and the duration of gestation and nursing periods remains unknown (whereas for its cousin the Russian desman, all this is well documented). [S 7] Likewise, birth and mortality rates are unknown, making any modelling and thus prediction of population dynamics impossible. [23] Simply counting or estimating the Pyrenean desman population remains a challenge for scientists. [S 28]

In culture

Artwork depicting a desman at the Marcelim Nature Observatory, Portugal. Observatorio da Natureza de Marcelim - Portugal (52442954836).jpg
Artwork depicting a desman at the Marcelim Nature Observatory, Portugal.

In the 21st century, the Pyrenean desman remains largely unknown to the general public. [17] [24] [S 9] However, since the 2000s, it has become increasingly popular in Pyrenean regions, thanks in particular to numerous public awareness campaigns carried out under the national action plan and LIFE+ programmes, targeting both residents and tourists. [S 9] Many educational activities specifically target schoolchildren; children love the desman, which conveys the image of a cute little animal easily recognisable by its trunk. [25] [26]

Paradoxically, the desman has become an emblematic animal of the Pyrenees, on a par with the brown bear or the chamois. [24] [27] The desman is thus used as a flagship species to promote the protection of mountain biodiversity, notably through travelling exhibitions such as the "Desman caravan" since 2015 [S 9] or the "Piribus" that has been touring the French and Spanish slopes since 2019. [28]

Since 2013, Joan Desman has been the mascot of the Les Angles ski resort  [ fr ] in the Pyrénées-Orientales. [29] [30] The Béarn magazine PAG has also chosen it as its mascot. [31] In addition, the Pyrenean desman is the hero of several comic books. [32] At the entrance to the tourist site of Étang de Lers, in Ariège, there is a statue in its likeness. [33]

In May 2018, the Pyrenean desman became the 8,000th animal photographed for the Photo Ark project by National Geographic . [34]

See also

References

Bibliography references

  1. ↑ Gonzalez-Esteban, Jorge; Villate, Idoia; Castién, Enrique (2003). "Sexual identification of Galemys pyrenaicus". Acta Theriologica. 48: 571–573. doi:10.1007/BF03192502. Gonzalez2003.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Richard, Bernard (1989). Le desman des Pyrénées, un mammifère inconnu à découvrir[The Pyrenean desman, an unknown mammal waiting to be discovered] (in French). Éditions du Rocher. ISBN   2-268-00466-X. Richard1989.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Palmeirim, J.M.; Hoffmann, R.S. (1983). "Galemys pyrenaicus". Mammalian Species. 207: 1–5. Palmeirim1983.
  4. 1 2 3 Barret, P.; MacDonald, D. (1999). Guide complet des Mammifères de France et d'Europe[Complete Guide to the Mammals of France and Europe] (in French). Translator: Michel Cuisin. Lausanne/Paris: Delachaux et Niestlé. p. 304. ISBN   2-603-00986-9. Barret1999.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Némoz, Mélanie; Bertrand, Alain (2009). Plan national d'actions en faveur du Desman des Pyrénées (Galemys pyrenaicus) 2009-2014 [National Action Plan for the Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) 2009-2014](PDF) (in French). Société Française pour l'Étude et la Protection des Mammifères / Ministère de l'Écologie, de l'Énergie, du Développement Durable et de l'Aménagement du Territoire. Némoz2009.
  6. ↑ Querejeta, Marina; Fernández-González, Angel; Romero, Rafael; Castresana, Jose (2017). "Postglacial dispersal patterns and mitochondrial genetic structure of the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in the northwestern region of the Iberian Peninsula". Ecology and Evolution. 7 (12): 4486–4495. doi:10.1002/ece3.3034. ISSN   2045-7758. PMC   5478051 . Querejeta2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bertrand, Alain; Didier, Bruno (2008). "Le Desman des Pyrenées" [The Pyrenean Desman]. Insectes (148).
  8. ↑ Combes, C.; Salvayre, H. (1964). "Sur la capture de Galemys pyrenaicus Geoffr. dans une grotte de L'Aude" [On the capture of Galemys pyrenaicus Geoffr. in a cave in L'Aude]. Annales de Spéléologie (in French). 19 (4). CombesSalvayre1964.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Blanc, Frédéric; Némoz, Mélanie (2018). Desman des Pyrénées[Pyrenean Desman] (in French). Illustrator: Aurélie Calmet; Photographer: Lucas Santucci. Editions du Desman Masqué. ISBN   978-2-9513828-4-8. Blanc2018.
  10. 1 2 3 Melero, Y.; Aymerich, P.; Santulli, G. (2014). "Activity and space patterns of Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) suggest non-aggressive and non-territorial behaviour". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 60. et al.: 707–715. doi:10.1007/s10344-014-0838-8. Melero2014.
  11. 1 2 3 Stone, R.D. (1987). "The activity patterns of the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)(Insectivora: Talpidae), as determined under natural conditions". Journal of Zoology. 213 (1): 95–106. Stone1987.
  12. ↑ Santamarina, J.; Guitian, J. (1988). "Quelques données sur le régime alimentaire du desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) dans le nord-ouest de l'Espagne" [Some data on the diet of the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in northwestern Spain](PDF). Mammalia (in French). 52 (3): 301–308. Santamarina1988.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Biffi, Marjorie; Gillet, François; Laffaille, Pascal; Colas, Fanny (June 13, 2017). "Novel insights into the diet of the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) using next-generation sequencing molecular analyses". Journal of Mammalogy. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyx070. ISSN   0022-2372. Biffi2017.
  14. ↑ Hawlitschek, Oliver; Fernández-González, Angel; Balmori-de la Puente, Alfonso; Castresana, Jose (August 14, 2018). "A pipeline for metabarcoding and diet analysis from fecal samples developed for a small semi-aquatic mammal". PLOS ONE. 13 (8). ISSN   1932-6203. PMID   30106960. Hawlitschek2018.
  15. ↑ Quaglietta, Lorenzo; Beja, Pedro (August 27, 2019). "Direct observations of vertebrate killing and consumption by the endangered Pyrenean desman ( Galemys pyrenaicus )". Mammalia. 83 (5): 479–482. doi:10.1515/mammalia-2018-0111. ISSN   1864-1547. Quaglietta2019.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lim, M.; Némoz, M.; Blanc, F.; Poncet, É.; Xéridat, P. (2021). Plan national d'actions en faveur du Desman des Pyrénées Galemys pyrenaicus 2021-2030 [National Action Plan for the Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) 2021-2030](PDF) (in French). CEN Occitanie & DREAL Occitanie. p. 119. Lim2021.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 Ribas, A.; Feliu, C.; Fons, R.; Casanova, J. C. (2009). "Larval Digeneans of Mammals in Freshwater Invertebrates as Intermediate Hosts". Vie et milieu - Life and environment. 59 (2): 209–213. Ribas2009.
  18. ↑ Alvarez, F.; Gijon-Botella, H. (1994). "Paracuaria hispanica N. sp. (Nematoda : Acuariidae), a stomach parasite of the Pyrenean desman Galemys pyrenaicus Geoffr. (Insectivora : Talpidae), with a redefinition of the genus Paracuaria Rao, 1951". Systematic Parasitology. 29. et al.: 105–112. doi:10.1007/BF00009806. Alvarez1994.
  19. ↑ Beron, P. (1971). "Sur quelques acariens parasites des Mammifères et des reptiles de France" [On some parasitic mites of mammals and reptiles in France]. Bulletin de l'Institut Zoologique de Toulouse (in French). 107: 98–99. Beron1971.
  20. ↑ Némoz, Mélanie; Bertrand, Alain (2009). Plan national d'actions en faveur du Desman des Pyrénées (Galemys pyrenaicus) 2009-2014 [National Action Plan for the Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) 2009-2014](PDF) (in French). Société Française pour l'Étude et la Protection des Mammifères / Ministère de l'Écologie, de l'Énergie, du Développement Durable et de l'Aménagement du Territoire. Némoz2009.
  21. 1 2 3 Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 2000. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. Wilson2005.
  22. ↑ Wrobel, Murray (2007). Elsevier's Dictionary of Mammals: In Latin, English, German, French and Italian. Elsevier. p. 857. ISBN   978-0-444-51877-4. Wrobel2007.
  23. 1 2 3 Cabria, María Teresa; Rubines, Jonathan; Gómez-Moliner, Benjamín; Zardoya, Rafael (2006). "On the phylogenetic position of a rare Iberian endemic mammal, the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)". Gene. 375: 1–13. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2006.01.038. ISSN   0378-1119. Cabria2006.
  24. ↑ López-Fuster, María José; García-Perea, Rosa; Fernández-Salvador, Rosa; Gisbert, Julio; Ventura, Jacint (2006). "Craniometric variability of the Iberian Desman, Galemys pyrenaicus (Mammalia: Erinaceomorpha: Talpidae)" (PDF). Folia zoologica. 55 (1): 29–42. Lopez2006.
  25. 1 2 3 Esnaola Illarreta, Amaiur (2020). The spatial and trophic ecology of the Pyrenean desman Galemys pyrenaicus: key factors for conservation (PDF) (PhD thesis). University of the Basque Country, Leioa. Illarreta2020.
  26. ↑ Morueta-Holme, Naia; Fløjgaard, Camilla; Svenning, Jens-Christian (2010). "Climate Change Risks and Conservation Implications for a Threatened Small-Range Mammal Species". PLoS ONE. 5 (4). ISSN   1932-6203. Morueta2010.
  27. ↑ Aymerich, Pere; Gosàlbez, Joaquim (2018). "Regresión reciente y general del desmán ibérico en su límite noreste de distribución" [Recent and general decline of the Pyrenean desman at its northeastern distribution limit]. Spanish Journal of Mammalogy (in Spanish). 30: 21–30. doi:10.7325/Galemys.2018.A2. Aymerich2018.
  28. 1 2 Poncet, É.; Blanc, F.; Lim, M.; Marc, D.; Némoz, M. (2021). "Desman des Pyrénées (Galemys pyrenaicus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811) 2011-2018: bilan et retours d'expérience sur huit années de capture dans les Pyrénées françaises" [Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811) 2011-2018: review and feedback on eight years of trapping in the French Pyrenees]. Naturae (in French). 3: 35–47. doi:10.5852/naturae2021a3. Poncet2021.

Other references

  1. ↑ Hutterer, R. (2005). "Order Soricomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 303. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  2. ↑ Quaglietta, L. (2022) [amended version of 2021 assessment]. "Galemys pyrenaicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022 e.T8826A214429993. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T8826A214429993.en .
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Inventaire national du patrimoine naturel (2005). "Fiche descriptive : le Desman des Pyrénées" [Descriptive sheet: the Pyrenean desman](pdf). inpn.mnhn.fr (in French). Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Meyer C. (December 22, 2022). "desman des Pyrénées - Dictionnaire des Sciences Animales" [Pyrenean desman - Dictionary of Animal Sciences]. dico-sciences-animales.cirad.fr (in French). Cirad. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  5. ↑ Fiche de Synthèse Natura 2000 FR9101468 - Bassin du Rébenty.
  6. ↑ "Fiche du Desman des Pyrénées" [Pyrenean desman fact sheet]. Institut Conservatoire de la Nature et des forêts du Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Bertrand, A. (1992). Le Desman des Pyrénées: statut, écologie et conservation[The Pyrenean desman: status, ecology and conservation] (in French). Rapport inédit, Ministère de l'Environnement, Direction de la Protection de la Nature. p. 94.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Empreintes: Le journal du Parc National des Pyrénées" [Footprints: The Pyrenees National Park Journal]. Parc national des Pyrénées (6). Tarbes. 1998.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Poncet, Emile; Némoz, Mélanie; Blanc, Frédéric (March 31, 2017). "Outils techniques pour la prise en compte du Desman des Pyrénées dans les procédures d'évaluations environnementales. Projet Life+ Desman Livret 1 – Etat des connaissances sur le Desman des Pyrénées" [Technical tools for taking the Pyrenean desman into account in environmental assessment procedures. Life+ Desman Project Booklet 1 – State of knowledge on the Pyrenean desman](pdf). desman-life.fr (in French). Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels de Midi-Pyrénées. p. 20. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  10. ↑ Bertrand, A.; Clergue, M. (1992). "I. Stratégies alimentaires du Desman et du Cincle." [I. Feeding strategies of the desman and dipper.]. Écologie comparée des populations de Desman des Pyrénées (Galemys pyrenaicus), du Cincle plongeur (Cinclus cinclus) et de l'Euprocte des Pyrénées (Calotriton asper)[Comparative ecology of populations of Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) and Pyrenean brook salamander (Calotriton asper)] (in French). Étude interdisciplinaire du fonctionnement des écosystèmes pyrénéens. Exemple du bassin d'Olhadoko, Larrau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Rapport SRETIE. p. 87.
  11. ↑ Laura Flamme. "Holotype de Mygale pyrenaica Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1811". GBIF. Zoology, Mammals and Birds, and Comparative Anatomy Collections of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN – Paris). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  12. ↑ Roberts, Edward A. (2014). A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Spanish Language with Families of Words Based on Indo-European Roots. Vol. I (A-G). United States of America: Xlibris. p. 790. ISBN   978-1-4931-9108-6 . Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  13. ↑ "desman". Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9e édition (actuelle). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 Graells, Mariano de la Paz (1897). "Distribucion metodica mastodologica, del profesor Graells" [Methodical mastodological distribution, by Professor Graells]. Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales de Madrid (in Spanish). 17: 146–791.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Biodiversidade (2014). Plano Sectorial da Rede Natura 2000 (2014). Galemys pyrenaicus[Sectoral Plan of the Natura 2000 Network (2014). Galemys pyrenaicus.] (in Portuguese).
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bilan du programme européen Life+ nature en faveur du Desman des Pyrénées 2014-2020" [Summary of the European Life+ Nature programme for the Pyrenean desman 2014–2020](pdf). desman-life.fr (in French). 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Morelle, Rebecca (August 14, 2012). "Pyrenean Desman: On the trail of Europe's weirdest beast". BBC News. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  18. ↑ Sido, Bruno (March 30, 2005). "Projet de loi sur l'eau et les milieux aquatiques" [Bill on water and aquatic environments]. senat.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  19. ↑ Maillé, Alain (August 5, 2022). "Lannemezan. Patrice Katz : "des délestages intempestifs et dévastateurs"" [Lannemezan. Patrice Katz: "untimely and devastating flushing"]. ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  20. ↑ UICN French Committee, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (2017). La liste rouge des espèces de mammifère menacées en France[The Red List of threatened mammal species in France] (in French).
  21. ↑ "Arrêté du 17 avril 1981 fixant la liste des mammifères protégés sur l'ensemble du territoire" [Decree of April 17, 1981 establishing the list of protected mammals across the entire territory]. legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). May 11, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Fundación Biodiversidad. "Proyecto LIFE+ Desmania | Proyecto LIFE+ Desmania" [Project LIFE+ Desmania]. www.lifedesman.es (in Spanish). Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  23. ↑ La Dépêche with AFP (December 6, 2010). "Le desman des Pyrénées, moins photogénique que l'ours mais tout aussi menacé" [The Pyrenean desman, less photogenic than the bear but just as threatened]. ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  24. 1 2 Gabriel Blaise (April 8, 2022). "Pyrénées : « Il est aussi rare de voir un desman que de rencontrer un ours »" [Pyrenees: "Seeing a desman is as rare as meeting a bear"]. Sud Ouest (in French). ISSN   1760-6454 . Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  25. ↑ Life+ Desman. "Sensibilisation du grand public et création de supports de communication" [Public awareness and creation of communication materials](pdf). desman-life.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  26. ↑ Serge Andreu (October 20, 2022). "Les enfants découvrent le Desman des Pyrénées" [Children discover the Pyrenean desman]. lindependant.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  27. ↑ François David (December 27, 2019). "Menacé d'extinction, le desman des Pyrénées sauvé grâce à ses crottes ?" [Threatened with extinction, the Pyrenean desman saved thanks to its droppings?]. ici, par France Bleu et France 3 (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  28. ↑ Francine Depeyre (October 1, 2021). "Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Un voyage au cœur des Pyrénées à bord du Piribus" [Bagnères-de-Bigorre. A journey to the heart of the Pyrenees aboard the Piribus]. ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  29. ↑ Correspondant (February 13, 2019). "À vos pixels, la chasse au Desman est ouverte aux Angles" [Get your pixels ready, the desman hunt is open in Les Angles]. lindependant.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Mascottes : ces étranges créatures que l'on croise en stations" [Mascots: those strange creatures you meet in ski resorts]. France Montagnes (in French). November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  31. ↑ La rédaction (December 2018). "On parle de nous !" [They're talking about us!]. lejournalpag.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  32. ↑ Stéphane Boularand (November 14, 2021). "Xavier Saüt, de la pub parisienne à la BD en Bigorre" [Xavier Saüt, from Parisian advertising to comics in Bigorre]. ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  33. ↑ Syndicat intercommunal de développement du site de l'étang de Lers. "Parcours Flore et Faune, Natura 2000 à l'étang de Lers" [Flora and Fauna Trail, Natura 2000 at Étang de Lers]. etang-de-lers.fr (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  34. ↑ Sarah Gibbens (May 4, 2018). "Pyrenean Desman is 8,000th Animal Added to Nat Geo Photo Ark". National Geographic. Retrieved November 25, 2025.

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