The gracile shrew mole (Uropsilus gracilis) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to China; populations known from Myanmar likely represent other species (see below).[2]

Gracile shrew mole
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Genus: Uropsilus
Species:
U. gracilis
Binomial name
Uropsilus gracilis
(Thomas, 1911)
Gracile shrew mole range (includes U. atronates and U. nivatus range)
Synonyms
  • Uropsilus atronates Allen, 1923
  • Uropsilus nivatus Allen, 1923

The black-backed shrew mole (U. atronates) and the Snow Mountain shrew mole (U. nivatus) were formerly considered subspecies, but a 2018 phylogenetic study split them as distinct species. The study found U. gracilis to be the sister species to an undescribed species of Uropsilus, with the clade comprising both being sister to U. atronates. U. atronates and the clade containing U. gracilis likely diverged during the early-mid Pleistocene.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Chiozza, F. (2017). "Uropsilus gracilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T41487A22321800. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T41487A22321800.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wan, Tao; He, Kai; Jiang, Xue-Long (2013-10-25). "Multilocus phylogeny and cryptic diversity in Asian shrew-like moles (Uropsilus, Talpidae): implications for taxonomy and conservation". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13 (1): 232. Bibcode:2013BMCEE..13..232W. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-232. ISSN 1471-2148. PMC 3819745. PMID 24161152.