The [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Insectivora''' (from [[Latin]] ''insectum'' "insect" and ''vorare'' "to eat") is a now-abandoned biological grouping within the class of [[mammal]]s. Some species have now been moved out, leaving the remaining ones in the order [[Eulipotyphla]] within the larger clade [[Laurasiatheria]], which makes up one of the [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] [[clades]] of [[placental]] [[mammal]]s.
The [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Insectivora''' (from [[Latin]] ''insectum'' "insect" and ''vorare'' "to eat") is an obsolete biological grouping within the class of [[mammal]]s. Some species have now been moved out, leaving the remaining ones in the order [[Eulipotyphla]] within the larger clade [[Laurasiatheria]], which makes up one of the [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] [[clades]] of [[placental]] [[mammal]]s.
==History==
==History==
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Before the era of widespread [[DNA sequencing]], the grouping was used as a [[Polyphyly|polyphyletic]] taxon for a variety of small to very small, relatively unspecialised mammals that feed upon insects. Since any primitive-looking fossil group of [[placental]] mammals was commonly assigned to this order for convenience, it was held to constitute the basal stock out of which other placental orders had evolved. Therefore, at its widest extent, the order Insectivora represented an [[evolutionary grade]] rather than a [[clade]].
Before the era of widespread [[DNA sequencing]], the grouping was used as a [[Polyphyly|polyphyletic]] taxon for a variety of small to very small, relatively unspecialised mammals that feed upon insects. Since any primitive-looking fossil group of [[placental]] mammals was commonly assigned to this order for convenience, it was held to constitute the basal stock out of which other placental orders had evolved. Therefore, at its widest extent, the order Insectivora represented an [[evolutionary grade]] rather than a [[clade]].
Taxonomy has been refined in recent years, and [[treeshrew]]s, [[elephant shrew]]s, and [[colugo]]s have now been placed in separate orders, as have many fossil groups that were formerly included here. For some time it was held that the remaining insectivoran families constituted a [[monophyletic]] grouping, or clade, to which the name '''[[Lipotyphla]]''' had long been applied. However, molecular evidence indicated that Chrysochloridae ([[golden mole]]s), Tenrecidae ([[tenrec]]s), and Potamogalidae ([[Potamogalidae|otter shrews]]) should also be separated as a new order [[Afrosoricida]].
Taxonomy has been refined in recent years, and [[treeshrew]]s, [[elephant shrew]]s, and [[colugo]]s have now been placed in separate orders, as have many fossil groups that were formerly included here. For some time it was held that the remaining insectivoran families constituted a [[monophyletic]] grouping, or clade, to which the name [[Lipotyphla]] had long been applied. However, molecular evidence indicated that Chrysochloridae ([[golden mole]]s), Tenrecidae ([[tenrec]]s), and Potamogalidae ([[Potamogalidae|otter shrews]]) should also be separated as a new order [[Afrosoricida]].
Erinaceidae ([[hedgehog]]s) was then also split off into a separate order ([[Erinaceomorpha]]) from the remainder (termed [[Soricomorpha]]), comprising the families Soricidae ([[Shrew (animal)|shrew]]s), Talpidae ([[mole (animal)|moles]]), Solenodontidae, and Nesophontidae.<ref>{{MSW3 Hutterer | pages = 212–311}}</ref> These two orders then replaced Insectivora. This scheme was undermined when molecular studies indicated that Soricomorpha is [[paraphyletic]], because Soricidae shared a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with other soricomorphs.<ref name=Rocaetal04>{{cite journal | author = Roca, A.L., G.K. Bar-Gal, E. Eizirik, K.M. Helgen, R. Maria, M.S. Springer, S.J. O'Brien, and W.J. Murphy | year = 2004 | title = Mesozoic origin for West Indian insectivores | journal = Nature | volume = 429 | issue = 6992| pages = 649–651 | doi = 10.1038/nature02597 | pmid = 15190349| bibcode = 2004Natur.429..649R | s2cid = 915633 }}</ref>
Erinaceidae ([[hedgehog]]s) was then also split off into a separate order ([[Erinaceomorpha]]) from the remainder (termed [[Soricomorpha]]), comprising the families Soricidae ([[Shrew (animal)|shrew]]s), Talpidae ([[mole (animal)|moles]]), Solenodontidae, and Nesophontidae.<ref>{{MSW3 Hutterer | pages = 212–311}}</ref> These two orders then replaced Insectivora. This scheme was undermined when molecular studies indicated that Soricomorpha is [[paraphyletic]], because Soricidae shared a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with other soricomorphs.<ref name=Rocaetal04>{{cite journal | last1=Roca |first1=A.L. |first2=G.K. |last2=Bar-Gal |first3=E. |last3=Eizirik |first4=K.M. |last4=Helgen |first5=R. |last5=Maria |first6=M.S. |last6=Springer |first7=S.J. |last7=O'Brien |first8=W.J. |last8=Murphy | year = 2004 | title = Mesozoic origin for West Indian insectivores | journal = Nature | volume = 429 | issue = 6992| pages = 649–651 | doi = 10.1038/nature02597 | pmid = 15190349| bibcode = 2004Natur.429..649R | s2cid = 915633 }}</ref>
However, the combination of Soricidae and Erinaceidae, referred to as order '''[[Eulipotyphla]]''', has been shown to be monophyletic.<ref name=Beck>{{cite journal |author1=Robin MD Beck |author2=Olaf RP Bininda-Emonds |author3=Marcel Cardillo |author4=Fu-Guo Robert Liu |author5=Andy Purvis | year = 2006 | title = A higher level MRP supertree of placental mammals | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 6 | url= | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-6-93 | pmid = 17101039 | pages = 93 | pmc = 1654192 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
However, the combination of Soricidae and Erinaceidae, referred to as order [[Eulipotyphla]], has been shown to be monophyletic.<ref name=Beck>{{cite journal |first1=Robin MD |last1=Beck |first2=Olaf RP |last2=Bininda-Emonds |first3=Marcel |last3=Cardillo |first4=Fu-Guo Robert |last4=Liu |first5=Andy |last5=Purvis | year = 2006 | title = A higher level MRP supertree of placental mammals | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 6 | url= | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-6-93 | pmid = 17101039 | pages = 93 | pmc = 1654192 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
== Classification ==
== Classification ==
* '''Order [[Eulipotyphla]] (remnant of 'Insectivora')'''
* Order [[Eulipotyphla]] (remnant of 'Insectivora')
** '''Family [[Erinaceidae]]'''
** Family [[Erinaceidae]]
*** Subfamily Erinaceinae: [[hedgehog]]s
*** Subfamily Erinaceinae: [[hedgehog]]s
*** Subfamily Hylomyinae: [[gymnure|moonrats]] and [[gymnure]]s
*** Subfamily Hylomyinae: [[gymnure|moonrats]] and [[gymnure]]s
The orderInsectivora (from Latininsectum "insect" and vorare "to eat") is an obsolete biological grouping within the class of mammals. Some species have now been moved out, leaving the remaining ones in the order Eulipotyphla within the larger clade Laurasiatheria, which makes up one of the basalclades of placentalmammals.
Before the era of widespread DNA sequencing, the grouping was used as a polyphyletic taxon for a variety of small to very small, relatively unspecialised mammals that feed upon insects. Since any primitive-looking fossil group of placental mammals was commonly assigned to this order for convenience, it was held to constitute the basal stock out of which other placental orders had evolved. Therefore, at its widest extent, the order Insectivora represented an evolutionary grade rather than a clade.
Taxonomy has been refined in recent years, and treeshrews, elephant shrews, and colugos have now been placed in separate orders, as have many fossil groups that were formerly included here. For some time it was held that the remaining insectivoran families constituted a monophyletic grouping, or clade, to which the name Lipotyphla had long been applied. However, molecular evidence indicated that Chrysochloridae (golden moles), Tenrecidae (tenrecs), and Potamogalidae (otter shrews) should also be separated as a new order Afrosoricida.
Erinaceidae (hedgehogs) was then also split off into a separate order (Erinaceomorpha) from the remainder (termed Soricomorpha), comprising the families Soricidae (shrews), Talpidae (moles), Solenodontidae, and Nesophontidae.[1] These two orders then replaced Insectivora. This scheme was undermined when molecular studies indicated that Soricomorpha is paraphyletic, because Soricidae shared a more recent common ancestor with Erinaceidae than with other soricomorphs.[2]
However, the combination of Soricidae and Erinaceidae, referred to as order Eulipotyphla, has been shown to be monophyletic.[3]
Not to be confused with insectivores (the eaters of insects considered as a feeding behavior), many of which do not belong to Eulipotyphla or the other taxa formerly included within Insectivora.
