Desmana

Desmana
Temporal range: Early Pliocene – Recent
Russian desman (Desmana moschata)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Tribe: Desmanini
Genus: Desmana
Güldenstädt, 1777
Type species
Castor moschatus[1]
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

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 Spain.[2] It was probably derived from earlier moles of the genus Archaeodesmana. D. marci likely gave rise to D. verestchagini, who may have given rise to younger species such as the living desman.[3]

  1. ^ Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). "Genus Desmana". Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Minwer-Barakat, R. (2020). "Early Pliocene Desmaninae (Mammalia, Talpidae) from Southern Spain and the Origin of the Genus Desmana". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (5): e1835936. Bibcode:2020JVPal..40E5936M. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1835936. S2CID 228905970.
  3. ^ Utrecht Micropaleontological Bulletins: Special publication – Volumes 4–5. Utrecht Micropaleontological Bulletins. 1985. p. 105.