attachment on the occipitum, minimal reduction in M3 relative to M1 and M2, and a distinct orientation of the manubrium of the malleus bone." Classification The spalacids are classified in three subfamilies, six genera, and 37 species. Family Spalacidae Subfamily Myospalacinae - zokors Genus Myospalax Myospalax myospalax species group False zokor, M. aspalax Siberian zokor, M. myospalax Myospalax psilurus species group Transbaikal zokor, M. psilurus Genus Eospalax Chinese zokor, E. fontanierii Rothschild's zokor, E. rothschildi Smith's zokor, E. smithii Subfamily Rhizomyinae Tribe Rhizomyini - bamboo rats Genus Rhizomys Hoary bamboo rat, R. pruinosus Chinese bamboo rat, R. sinensis Large bamboo rat, R. sumatrensis Genus Cannomys Lesser bamboo rat, C. badius †Genus Brachyrhizomys (Miocene to Pleistocene) Tribe Tachyoryctini Genus Tachyoryctes - African mole-rats Ankole African mole-rat, T. ankoliae Mianzini African mole-rat, T. annectens Aberdare Mountains African mole-rat, T. audax Demon African mole-rat, T. daemon Kenyan African mole-rat, T. ibeanus Big-headed African mole-rat, T. macrocephalus Navivasha African mole-rat, Tachyoryctes naivashae King African mole-rat, T. rex Rwanda African mole-rat, T. ruandae Rudd's African mole-rat, T. ruddi Embi African mole-rat, T. spalacinus Northeast African mole-rat, T. splendens Storey's African mole-rat, T. storeyi Subfamily Spalacinae - blind mole-rats Genus Spalax Mehely's blind mole-rat, S. antiquus Sandy blind mole-rat, S. arenarius Giant blind mole-rat, S. giganteus Bukovina blind mole-rat, S. graecus Oltenia blind mole-rat, S. istricus (possibly extinct) Greater blind mole-rat, S. microphthalmus Kazakhstan blind mole-rat, S. uralensis Podolsk blind mole-rat, S. zemni Genus Nannospalax - small-bodied mole-rats Subgenus Nannospalax Middle East blind mole-rat or Palestine mole-rat, N. ehrenbergi Subgenus Mesospalax Lesser blind mole-rat, N. leucodon Anatolian blind mole-rat or Nehring's blind mole-rat, N. xanthodon References Jansa, S. A. and M. Weksler. 2004. Phylogeny of muroid rodents: relationships within and among major lineages as determined by IRBP gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:256-276. Michaux, J., A. Reyes, and F. Catzeflis. 2001. Evolutionary history of the most speciose mammals: molecular phylogeny of muroid rodents. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17:280-293. Steppan, S. J., R. A. Adkins, and J. Anderson. 2004. Phylogeny and divergence date estimates of rapid radiations in muroid rodents based on multiple nuclear genes. Systematic Biology, 53:533-553. Rodent families Muroid rodents Extant Miocene first appearances Taxa named by John Edward Gray