Scalopini

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Scalopini
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–present
ScalopusAquaticus.jpg
Eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Subfamily: Scalopinae
Tribe: Scalopini
Gill, 1875
Genera

5 genera, see article.

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, the North American or New World moles, and can be found virtually anywhere north of Northern Mexico and south of Northern Canada where environmental factors (chiefly the presence of soil) permit.

Although the morphological differences between the Scalopini and the Old World moles are not very apparent to non-experts, they were significant enough for the Gansu mole of China to be taken out of that group and added to the Scalopini in 1938, and in 2021 the Medog mole was also described from China. How New World moles came to live in China was long a mystery, but analyses indicate that the Scalopini originated in Eurasia during the Oligocene and later migrated to North America during the Neogene and diversified there. However, the Gansu and Medog moles are not descendants of the original Old World Scalopini, but rather of New World Scalopini that migrated back to Eurasia; the hairy-tailed mole of North America is more closely related to them than it is to other North American moles. The Scalopini are thought to have migrated from North America back to Eurasia at least two different times. [1] [2] This has prompted scientists to occasionally hesitate to continue calling the Scalopini "New World moles" without some caveat to acknowledge this fact.[ citation needed ] As a result, the Scalopini are sometimes called "New World moles and relatives".

There are five genera in the Scalopini:

In addition, these fossil genera are also known: [2]

Some evidence supports dividing the extant members of this genus into two subtribes: Scalopina (containing Scalopus and Scapanus) and Parascalopina (containing Alpiscaptulus, Parascalops, and Scapanulus). The extinct Proscapanus likely represents a basal member falling outside both tribes, Scapanoscapter could belong in the Scalopina, and the other fossil genera, while of uncertain placement, could potentially belong in the Parascalopina. [1] [2]

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Moles are small mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have cylindrical bodies, velvety fur, very small, inconspicuous eyes and ears, reduced hindlimbs, and short, powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talpidae</span> Family of small insectivorous mammals

The family Talpidae includes the moles who are small insectivorous mammals of the order Eulipotyphla. Talpids are all digging animals to various degrees: moles are completely subterranean animals; shrew moles and shrew-like moles somewhat less so; and desmans, while basically aquatic, excavate dry sleeping chambers; whilst the quite unique star-nosed mole is equally adept in the water and underground. Talpids are found across the Northern Hemisphere of Eurasia and North America, and range as far south as the montane regions of tropical Southeast Asia.

<i>Condylura</i> Genus of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talpinae</span> Subfamily of mammals

The subfamily 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.

<i>Uropsilus</i> Genus of mammals

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 ears, and small forefeet unspecialized for burrowing. Although they are similar to shrews in size, external appearance, and, presumably, ecological habits, they are nevertheless talpids and considered true moles, as they share a full zygomatic arch with all other moles, while this arch is completely absent in shrews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hairy-tailed mole</span> Species of mammal

The hairy-tailed mole, also known as Brewer's mole, is a medium-sized North American mole. It is the only member of the genus Parascalops. The species epithet breweri refers to Thomas Mayo Brewer, an American naturalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Townsend's mole</span> Species of mammal

The Townsend's mole is a fossorial mammal in the family Talpidae, and is the largest North American mole. It was named after the American naturalist John Kirk Townsend. The name was selected at the request of Thomas Nuttall as a patronym to honor Townsend's contribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ondatrini</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese mountain mole</span> Species of mammal

The Japanese mountain mole is a species of Old World mole in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Oreoscaptor. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate grassland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gansu mole</span> Species of mammal

The Gansu mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae endemic to central China, where it occurs in Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai. It is the only species in the genus Scapanulus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern broad-footed mole</span> Species of mammal

The northern broad-footed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to the United States, where it is found in northern California, Nevada and Oregon at elevations up to 3000 m above sea level.

<i>Scapanus</i> Genus of mammals

Scapanus is a genus of moles in the family Talpidae. They live in North America from west of the Rockies south to Baja California del Norte, and north to British Columbia, wherever conditions permit a mole population; that is to say, apart from the most sandy, rocky, or developed places. As they are one genus, they are very closely related, but as species, they rarely if ever interbreed successfully.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urotrichini</span> Tribe of mammals

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 genus. The name "shrew-moles" refers to their morphological resemblance to shrews, while generally being thought of as "true moles". The species are the Japanese shrew mole, True's shrew mole and American shrew mole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scalopinae</span> Subfamily of mammals

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 and the Chinese shrew-like moles (Uropsilinae). The Scalopinae are the only Talpidae subfamily to consist entirely of undisputed moles and no mole-like close relatives such as shrew-moles or desmans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sminthidae</span> Family of rodents

Sminthidae is a family of mouse-like jumping rodents. They are represented by only one extant genus, Sicista, represented by 19 species found throughout most of Eurasia, from central Europe east to Siberia, and south to southern China. However, they were much more diverse and had a much wider range in prehistoric times, having multiple genera and being found not only in Eurasia but also throughout North America, where they existed up to the early Pleistocene. They have a well-attested fossil record which dates as far back as the early Oligocene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medog mole</span> Species of mammal

The Medog mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is the only member of the genus Alpiscaptulus. It is endemic to Tibet, where it is only found in the vicinity of Namcha Barwa in Medog County.

References

  1. 1 2 Chen, Zhong-Zheng; He, Shui-Wang; Hu, Wen-Hao; Song, Wen-Yu; Onditi, Kenneth O; Li, Xue-You; Jiang, Xue-Long (2021-01-08). "Morphology and phylogeny of scalopine moles (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae: Scalopini) from the eastern Himalayas, with descriptions of a new genus and species". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 193 (2): 432–444. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa172. ISSN   0024-4082.
  2. 1 2 3 Schwermann, Achim H.; He, Kai; Peters, Benjamin J.; Plogschties, Thorsten; Sansalone, Gabriele (2019). "Systematics and macroevolution of extant and fossil scalopine moles (Mammalia, Talpidae)". Palaeontology. 62 (4): 661–676. doi: 10.1111/pala.12422 . ISSN   1475-4983. S2CID   134096608.
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