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Insectivora

Insectivora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Insectivora
Families
Erinaceidae[?]
Soricidae
Talpidae[?]

The biological order Insectivora in the past was used as a scrapbasket for a variety of small to very small, relatively unspecialized, insectivorous mammals. The taxonomy has been refined in recent years, and tree shrews, elephant shrews, and dermopterans[?] have now been placed in separate orders.

However, molecular evidence also indicates that golden moles and tenrecs[?] should be separated as a new order Afrosoricida comprising Chrysochloridae (golden moles) and Tenrecidae (tenrecs[?]).

This leaves the Insectivora containing only the families Soricidae, shrews; Erinaceidae, hedgehogs and allies; and Talpidae, moles.

  • ORDER INSECTIVORA
    • Family Erinaceidae[?]
      • Subfamily Erinaceinae: hedgehogs
      • Subfamily Hylomyinae: moonrats and gymnures
    • Family Soricidae
      • Subfamily Crocidurinae: white-toothed shrews
      • Subfamily Soricinae: red-toothed shrews
    • Family Talpidae[?]
      • Subfamily Desmaninae: desmans
      • Subfamily Talpinae: moles
      • Subfamily Uropsilinae: Shrew Mole

Not to be confused with insectivores, not all of which belong to the Insectivora.



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