Talpidae

Talpidae is a family of small, largely fossorial mammals in the order Eulipotyphla, comprising moles, desmans, and shrew moles. Members have cylindrical bodies, short limbs, and broad, spade-like forefeet built for digging. Their fur is dense and velvety, and most species have reduced eyesight, relying on tactile, vibrissal, and olfactory senses to navigate and locate prey underground.

Taxonomically, the family contains several subgroups that include desmans (Desmaninae) and the true moles and their relatives (primarily Talpinae), as well as the New World moles historically placed in Scalopinae. Extant genera include Desmana and Galemys among desmans, and Talpa, Mogera, Scapanulus, Parascalops, Scalopus, and Condylura among moles and shrew-moles.

Talpids are distributed across the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with desmans inhabiting rivers and wetlands in parts of Europe and Asia and true moles occupying forests, grasslands, and agricultural lands. Most species are fossorial, constructing tunnel systems and foraging underground in moist soils.

They feed primarily on invertebrates, such as earthworms, insects, and mollusks, varying by species. The star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) is notable for its highly sensitive, tentaculated nose used to detect prey. Reproduction is typically seasonal, with one litter per year and litter sizes varying by species; gestation lasts several weeks.

Conservation status varies among species. Some desman species are threatened by habitat loss, water pollution, and declines in aquatic invertebrate prey, while several mole species are widespread and of least concern.

Fossil records show talpids dating to the Eocene, reflecting early adaptations to subterranean life with changes in limb structure and sensory apparatus.