Difference between revisions of "Soricomorpha" - New World Encyclopedia
Rick Swarts (talk | contribs) |
Rick Swarts (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
* [[Talpidae]] | * [[Talpidae]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | '''Soricomorpha''' is an order of placental [[mammal]]s that includes the true shrews (family [[Soricidae]]); moles, shrew-moles, and desmans (family [[Talpidae]]); solenodons (family [[Solenodontidae]]), and members of the extinct family Nesophontidae. These families were originally placed in the now extinct order [[Insectivora]]. However, Soricomorpha is itself considered to be paraphyletic and often is replaced with the order '''Eulipotyphla''', with includes members of Soriciomorpha and the family Erinaceidae ([[hedgehog]]s and [[gymnure]]s or moonrats). | + | '''Soricomorpha''' is an order of placental [[mammal]]s that includes the true shrews (family [[Soricidae]]); moles, shrew-moles, and desmans (family [[Talpidae]]); solenodons (family [[Solenodontidae]]), and members of the extinct family Nesophontidae. These families were originally placed in the now extinct order [[Insectivora]]. However, Soricomorpha is itself considered to be paraphyletic and often is replaced in taxonomic schemes with the order '''Eulipotyphla''', with includes members of Soriciomorpha and the family Erinaceidae ([[hedgehog]]s and [[gymnure]]s or moonrats). |
Members of this order (as well as the order Eulipotyphla) are small mammals with long, narrow, and pointed snouts. The smallest member of this order, the pygmy white-toothed shrew or Etruscan shrew (''Suncus etruscus''), is but 3 grams in weight and about 3.5 centimeters in body size. On the other hand, solenodons can reach 60 centimeters in size. Soricomorphs are found in all continents except Australia and Antarctica. | Members of this order (as well as the order Eulipotyphla) are small mammals with long, narrow, and pointed snouts. The smallest member of this order, the pygmy white-toothed shrew or Etruscan shrew (''Suncus etruscus''), is but 3 grams in weight and about 3.5 centimeters in body size. On the other hand, solenodons can reach 60 centimeters in size. Soricomorphs are found in all continents except Australia and Antarctica. | ||
Revision as of 15:19, 1 June 2014
| Soricomorpha
| ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Southern Short-tailed Shrew
| ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
Soricomorpha is an order of placental mammals that includes the true shrews (family Soricidae); moles, shrew-moles, and desmans (family Talpidae); solenodons (family Solenodontidae), and members of the extinct family Nesophontidae. These families were originally placed in the now extinct order Insectivora. However, Soricomorpha is itself considered to be paraphyletic and often is replaced in taxonomic schemes with the order Eulipotyphla, with includes members of Soriciomorpha and the family Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and gymnures or moonrats).
Members of this order (as well as the order Eulipotyphla) are small mammals with long, narrow, and pointed snouts. The smallest member of this order, the pygmy white-toothed shrew or Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus), is but 3 grams in weight and about 3.5 centimeters in body size. On the other hand, solenodons can reach 60 centimeters in size. Soricomorphs are found in all continents except Australia and Antarctica.
The small size of soricomorphs has resulted in their need to consume considerable amounts of food and the Eurasian pigmy shrew (Sorex minutus) must eat virtually all the time.
Classification
Soricomorpha, which means "shrew-form," includes the three extant families of Soricidae, Talpidae, and Solenodontidae, and the extinct family Nesophontidae. Soricidae (true shrews) is the family with the most species, with about 300 species. Talpidae (moles, shrew-moles,and desmans) has about 42 known species, and Solenodontidae (solenodons) has two known extant species and two known extinct specis. The final family Nesophontidae (West Indies shrews) placed in this order is only known in the fossil record.
In previous years, the soricomorphs formed a significant group within the former order Insectivora. However, that order was shown to be polyphyletic and various new orders were split off from it, including Afrosoricida (tenrecs and golden moles), Macroscelidea (elephant shrews), and Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures), leaving just the four families, leaving Insectivora empty and disbanded.
Subsequently, Soricomorpha itself was shown to be paraphyletic, because Soricidae shared a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with other soricomorphs (Roca et al. 2004). The combination of Soricomorpha and Erinaceidae, referred to as order Eulipotyphla, has been shown to be monophyletic (Beck et al. 2006).
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Beck, R., O. Bininda-Emonds, M. Cardillo, F.-G. Liu, and A. Purvis. 2006. A higher level MRP supertree of placental mammals. BMC Evolutionary Biology 6: 93. PMID 17101039.
- Patsy, V., J. Song, R. Weber, and L. Siciliano Martina. 2014. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Soricomorpha Soricomorpha]. Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
- Roca, A. L., G. K. Bar-Gal, E. Eizirik, K. M. Helgen, R. Maria, M. S. Springer, S. J. O'Brien, and W. J. Murphy. 2004. Mesozoic origin for West Indian insectivores. Nature 429(6992): 649–651. PMID 15190349.
| Mammals |
|---|
| Monotremata (platypus, echidnas) |
|
Marsupialia: | Paucituberculata (shrew opossums) | Didelphimorphia (opossums) | Microbiotheria | Notoryctemorphia (marsupial moles) | Dasyuromorphia (quolls and dunnarts) | Peramelemorphia (bilbies, bandicoots) | Diprotodontia (kangaroos and relatives) |
|
Placentalia: Cingulata (armadillos) | Pilosa (anteaters, sloths) | Afrosoricida (tenrecs, golden moles) | Macroscelidea (elephant shrews) | Tubulidentata (aardvark) | Hyracoidea (hyraxes) | Proboscidea (elephants) | Sirenia (dugongs, manatees) | Soricomorpha (shrews, moles) | Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and relatives) Chiroptera (bats) | Pholidota (pangolins)| Carnivora | Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) | Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) | Cetacea (whales, dolphins) | Rodentia (rodents) | Lagomorpha (rabbits and relatives) | Scandentia (treeshrews) | Dermoptera (colugos) | Primates | |
|
Soricomorpha Portal |
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
