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Spalax
Genus of rodents From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Spalax is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, subfamily Spalacinae (blind mole-rats). It is one of two extant genera in the subfamily Spalacinae, alongside Nannospalax.[2]
Species in this genus are found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia.[3] They are completely blind and have a subterranean lifestyle.[4]
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Taxonomy
Prior to 2013, Spalax was widely considered the only member of Spalacinae, with all blind mole-rat species being grouped within it. However, phylogenetic and morphological evidence supported some of the species within it forming a distinct lineage that diverged from the others during the Late Miocene, when a marine barrier formed between Anatolia and the Balkans. These species were reclassified into the genus Nannospalax, making Spalax one of two extant spalacine genera.[2]
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Species of genus Spalax
- Mehely's blind mole-rat, S. antiquus[5]
- Sandy blind mole-rat, S. arenarius
- Giant blind mole-rat, S. giganteus
- Bukovina blind mole-rat, S. graecus
- Oltenia blind mole-rat, S. istricus (possibly extinct)[5]
- Greater blind mole-rat, S. microphthalmus
- Kazakhstan blind mole-rat, S. uralensis
- Podolsk blind mole-rat, S. zemni
References
Further reading
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