Talpa (genus)

Talpa is a genus in the mole family Talpidae. Among the first taxa in science, Carolus Linnaeus used the Latin word for "moles", talpa, in his Regnum Animale to refer to the commonly known European form of mole. The group has since been expanded to include nine species, found primarily in Europe and western Asia. The common European mole, found throughout most of Europe, is a member of this genus, as are several species restricted to small ranges. One, Père David's mole, is critically endangered. One fossil species, the Tyrrhenian mole is known from the Pleistocene of Corsica and Sardinia. These moles eat worms, insects, and other invertebrates found in the soil.

The females of this genus have rudimentary male features such as Cowper's glands and a two-lobed prostate. A group of scientists suggests that they are true hermaphrodites; however, others state that they are fully functional females.