The 21 Basic Mammal Groups
Hedgehogs, Solenodons, and More (Order Eulipotyphia)
As mentioned in slide #11, the too-broad order once known as Insectivora has since been cleaved in two by naturalists availing themselves of the latest DNA technology. The order Afrosoricida includes golden moles and tenrecs, while the order Eulipotyphia includes hedgehogs, gymnures (also known as moonrats or hairy hedgehogs), solenodons (venomous shrew-like mammals), and the strange creatures known as desmans, as well as moles, shrew-like moles, and true shrews. Confused yet? Suffice it to say that all Eulipotyphians (and most Afrosoricidans, for that matter) are wee, narrow-snouted, insect-eating balls of fur, and leave it at that.
The 21 Basic Mammal Group caches were placed for HNY21.