Condylura
Genus of mammal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1] It is also the only living member of the tribe Condylurini.
| Condylura | |
|---|---|
| |
| Star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Talpidae |
| Subfamily: | Scalopinae |
| Tribe: | Condylurini Gill, 1875 |
| Genus: | Condylura Illiger, 1811 |
| Type species | |
| Sorex cristatus Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Species | |
| |
While today endemic to New World, fossil evidence suggests the genus was once much more widespread, with two named species (C. kowalskii and C izabellae) known from the Pliocene of Poland and an unnamed species from the Mid Miocene of Kazakhstan.[2]
Condylura is classified along with other New World moles in the subfamily Scalopinae by most authorities; however, more recent studies suggest that it occupies a much more basal position in Talpidae, being sister to a clade comprising the fossil genus Geotrypus, all living Talpinae, and all Scalopini. The extinct genus Eotalpa could potentially be a sister genus to it.[3]
.png){kind=small}