Talpa (genus)

Talpa[2] is a genus in the mole family Talpidae. Among the first taxa in science,[3] Carolus Linnaeus used the Latin word for "moles", talpa, in his Regnum Animale to refer to the commonly known European form of mole. The group has since been expanded to include 11 extant species, found primarily in Europe and western Asia. The European mole, found throughout most of Europe, is a member of this genus, as are several species restricted to small ranges. One species, Père David's mole, is critically endangered. One fossil species, the Tyrrhenian mole, is known from the Pleistocene of Corsica and Sardinia. These moles eat earthworms, insects, and other invertebrates found in the soil.

Talpa Temporal range: Miocene to Recent[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
European mole (Talpa europaea)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	Talpidae
Tribe:	Talpini
Genus:	Talpa Linnaeus, 1758
Species
Talpa altaica Talpa aquitania Talpa caeca Talpa caucasica Talpa europaea Talpa davidiana Talpa levantis Talpa martinorum Talpa occidentalis Talpa romana Talpa stankovici Talpa tyrrhenica †

The females of this genus have rudimentary male features such as Cowper's glands and a two-lobed prostate. A group of scientists has suggested that they are true hermaphrodites;[4] however, others state that they are fully functional females.[5]