Paleontologists have discovered a new genus and species within the Talpidae family, based on a partial skeleton found at a Pliocene Age site in Camp dels Ninotto, Girona, Spain.
The newly identified species is named Vulcanoscaptor ninoti. This mole lived in Spain approximately 3.25 million years ago.
The fossilized skeleton was uncovered in 2010 at the Camp del Sninott site in Girona, Spain.
“This specimen includes the mandible with complete dentition, parts of the trunk, and some bones from both fore and hind limbs, many of which are still in anatomical relationships.”
“Exceptional preservation is exceedingly rare in small mammals like moles, making this specimen one of the oldest and most complete in Europe.”
“These fossils represent the most comprehensive mole fossils known from the Pliocene in Europe, offering significant insights into the evolutionary history of talpid.”
The fossils were partially encased in dense sediment blocks and were fully extracted during excavation.
To study it without causing damage, paleontologists utilized high-resolution microcomputed tomography (MicroCT) scans, allowing for precise 3D digital reconstruction of the skeletons.
“MicroCT enabled us to analyze very small and delicate structures such as phalanges and teeth.”
“This technological approach allowed us to identify unique anatomical features and incorporate them into a robust phylogenetic analysis.”
The structure of Vulcanoscaptor ninoti shows that both the forelimbs and hind limbs exhibit a high degree of adaptation to an underground lifestyle.
“The humerus is particularly robust, featuring a wide array of prominent muscle attachment sites, suggesting strong digging capabilities,” said Dr. Linares.
“However, the preservation of this specimen in lake sediments and its lateral position increases the likelihood that it possessed some aquatic mobility.”
“While we can’t confirm this definitively, there’s a modern mole that excels at both digging and swimming.”
According to the team, Vulcanoscaptor ninoti was part of the Scaropini tribe, which includes moles found today in parts of North America and Asia.
This finding from the Pliocene of Europe indicates a more complicated evolutionary and paleogeographic scenario than previously believed.
“Our explanation of Vulcanoscaptor ninoti confirms that the evolutionary history of moles is far more dynamic than previously understood, suggesting possible intercontinental dispersion and a greater anatomical diversity than previously acknowledged,” said one of the authors.
“It also emphasizes the significance of exceptional fossil sites in preserving species that are rarely found in the fossil record, like small mammals.”
“Despite its distinct fossil morphology, this mole shares close ties with present-day North American species from the genera Scapanus and Scaropas, indicating a more intricate evolutionary history than we previously assumed,” added Dr. Juliolio.
“Its presence in Europe points to past transcontinental migration of moles, challenging the notion that they are low-dispersive mammals.”
The team’s paper was published this month in the journal Scientific Reports.
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A. Linares-Martín et al. 2025. Unexpected scalopinimols (mammals) from the Pliocene of Europe shed light on thalpido phylogeny. Sci Rep 15, 24928; doi:10.1038/s41598-025-10396-1
Source: www.sci.news
