Myogale rhomboideus subsp. posticus

WHIDDEN, HOWARD P., 2000, Comparative Myology of Moles and the Phylogeny of the Talpidae (Mammalia, Lipotyphla), American Museum Novitates 3294, pp. 1-53 : 22

M. rhomboideus posticus

In Parascalops , Scalopus , Scapanus , and Talpa , a stout, fibrous ligament that connects

the vertebral borders of the scapulae has replaced much of this muscle. The antimeres of the remaining muscular portion meet in a midline raphe to form a thick, chevronshaped muscle. The muscular portion is described below.

ORIGIN: From the neural spines of the second and third thoracic vertebrae.

INSERTION: On the anterior surface of the interscapular ligament.

REMARKS: This muscle has the same general form in Parascalops , Scalopus , Scapanus , and Talpa . In Condylura , Desmana , Galemys , Neurotrichus , Scaptonyx , Uropsilus , and Urotrichus , there is no interscapular ligament, and the antimeres of this muscle meet in a median raphe to form a thick, triangular mass connecting the vertebral borders of the scapulae. The connection to the vertebral neural spines is present in Condylura , Desmana , Galemys , and Uropsilus , but not in Neurotrichus , Scaptonyx , and Urotrichus . Reed (1951) reported that this muscle originates from the third and fourth thoracic vertebrae in Mogera , Parascalops , Scalopus , Scapanus , and Talpa . He also discussed some of the problems previous workers have had in determining the homologies of the forms of this muscle.