Solenodontidae is a family of venomous, nocturnal, burrowing, insectivorous mammals in the order Eulipotyphla, commonly called solenodons. The family contains two genera, Atopogale and Solenodon, with two living species, the Cuban solenodon and the Hispaniolan solenodon, and two further species known to have gone extinct within the last five hundred years. Solenodons have an elongated flexible snout with a ball and socket joint, long scaly tails, small eyes, and inject venom through grooved lower incisor teeth, a feature reflected in the family name, meaning grooved tooth in Greek; the lineage has changed little in roughly seventy six million years, making it a living fossil among mammals.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Sources
1. Wikipedia: Solenodon
WikipediaIntroductionQuote, Introduction
Solenodons (; from Ancient Greek σωλήν (sÅlá¸-n), meaning "channel, pipe", and ὀδοÏÏ‚ (odoús), meaning "tooth") are venomous, nocturnal, burrowing, insectivorous mammals belonging to the family Solenodontidae .
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.