Uropsilinae
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The shrew-like moles or Uropsilinae are one of three subfamilies of the mole family Talpidae, the others being the Talpinae and the Scalopinae.
While they traditionally shared the common name of shrew moles with the Japanese Shrew Mole (Urotrichus talpoides) and the American Shrew-mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii), they are now more aptly termed "shrew-like moles".
The shrew-like moles encompass four recognized species in genus Uropsilus that are endemic to the forested, high-alpine region bordering China, Myanmar, and Vietnam. They possess a long snout, a long slender tail, external ears and small forefeet unspecialized for burrowing. They are the most ancestral (primitive) group of moles. Indeed, they are similar to shrews in size, external appearance and presumably ecological habits. Little is currently known regarding any aspect of their natural history.
The list of species is:
- Anderson's Shrew Mole (Uropsilus andersoni)
- Gracile Shrew Mole (Uropsilus gracilis)
- Inquisitive Shrew Mole (Uropsilus investigator)
- Chinese Shrew Mole (Uropsilus soricipes)
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