New World Moles | |
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Condylura cristata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Eulipotyphla |
Family: | Talpidae |
Subfamily: | Scalopinae |
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 (the Talpinae) and the Chinese Shrew-like Moles (Uropsilinae). The Scalpidae are the only Talpidae subfamily to consist entirely of undisputed moles and no mole-like close relatives such as shrew-moles or desmans. They are found virtually everywhere soil conditions permit in North America, except northern Canada and those areas of northeastern Mexico where the soil isn't too sandy. There is also one species which lives in China.
The Scalopininae are divided into two tribes, five genera, and seven species: