| Fossil range | Early Pliocene - Recent |
|---|---|
| Taxon | Galemys |
| Authority | Kaup, 1829 |
| Type species | Mygale pyrenaica[1] |
| Type species authority | Geoffroy, 1811 |
| Subdivision ranks | Species |
| Subdivision |
Galemys is a genus of mole containing the living Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) and several fossil species.[2]
Many of these extinct species were far more widespread than the living species; for example, the Early Pleistocene Galemys kormosi was found in freshwater habitats throughout much of Europe, including the British Isles.[3] Galemys probably evolved in the Early Pliocene from a species in the extinct genus Archaeodesmana.