List of spalacids


is a family of mammals in the order Rodentia and part of the Myomorpha suborder. Members of this family are called spalacids, and include blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, mole-rats, and zokors. They are found in Asia, eastern Africa, and eastern Europe, primarily in forests, shrublands, and grasslands, though some species can be found in deserts or savannas. They range in size from the Middle East blind mole-rat, at with no tail, to the large bamboo rat, at plus a tail. Spalacids are primarily herbivores, and eat roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, with some species also eating insects. Few spalacids have population estimates, but four species—the giant root-rat, Mehely's blind mole-rat, Podolsk blind mole-rat, and sandy blind mole-rat—are categorized as endangered, while the Oltenia blind mole-rat is categorized as critically endangered.
The 23 extant species of Spalacidae are divided into 7 genera, divided into 3 subfamilies. Myospalacinae contains 6 species of zokors in 2 genera, Rhizomyinae contains 6 species of bamboo rats and mole-rats in 3 genera, and Spalacinae contains 11 species of blind mole-rats in 2 genera. Several extinct prehistoric spalacid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries, the exact number and categorization is not fixed.

Conventions

The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the spalacid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.

Classification

is a family consisting of 23 extant species in 7 genera. These genera are divided into four subfamilies: Myospalacinae, containing 6 species of in 2 genera; Rhizomyinae, containing 6 species in 3 genera; and Spalacinae, containing 11 species in 2 genera. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.
Family Spalacidae
  • Subfamily Myospalacinae
  • * Genus Eospalax : three species
  • * Genus Myospalax : three species
  • Subfamily Rhizomyinae
  • * Genus Cannomys : one species
  • * Genus Rhizomys : three species
  • * Genus Tachyoryctes : two species
  • Subfamily Spalacinae
  • * Genus Nannospalax : three species
  • * Genus Spalax : eight species

    Spalacids

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World, with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists.

Subfamily Myospalacinae

Subfamily Rhizomyinae

Subfamily Spalacinae