Necrolestes is an example of a lazarus taxon, which is when a lineage of organisms stops at some point in the fossil record, to then finding a species of that lineage appearing later in the fossil record, or even still being alive today. Necrolestes also has a long ghost lineage from when it diverged from the other members of its group. Perhaps there are more species of Necrolestids we haven't discovered yet.

This is why diglett got an Alolan and convergent form

These videos have only reinforced my love of moles.

Fun fact: Moles are More closely related to whales than are to rodents

Please don't sweat too much about missing them. You're incredibly prolific; and I learn something new all the time. The only time I expect exhaustivity from someone is if they've done their thesis on this very subject (and then again, only in the post-google scholar era). This said, I really appreciate your adding a video on those animals right away!

Necrolestes is probably my favorite mole like creature to have evolved. it's a shame this amazing mammal has been known for more than a hundred years and yet very few people know about it. I can go on and on about why South America before the interchange need more attention in paleo media, but I sure hope we get more.

Cant wait for a mole dinosaur to be discovered. Hunt for the MOLEASAURUS

The discovery of the Meridiolestida order is just extremely incredible and crazy, and extremely important ! Since it display that more true mammals lineages have survived the KT-extinction at 66-65 mya and survived long into the Cenozoïc ! In total, so far we had once in the same time both the Eutherian (placentals), the Metatherian (marsupials), the Monotreme (Platypus and Echidnas), the roden-like Multituberculates and now these small generic critter called Meridiolestida. That represent a total of 5 separate apart groups of mammals during the Cenozoïc ! Incredible ! Just incredible !

Is this like, the mammalian equivalent of things evolving into crabs

I would make a joke about moles turning into crabs But if you saw the last episode you know its more likely for a crab to turn into a mole!

I think it's great that your oversight in the first video led to you giving these two fascinating creatures a video of their own. If it was a mistake, it was a serendipitous one for us viewers! 😊👍

Nature is funny

Crab: "Finally a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!"

I don’t think you should feel too bad about leaving out a couple of cases especially extinct ones, but I appreciate your thoroughness. I have absolutely zero interest in studying biology and animal anatomy but I do love learning about all types of creatures I never knew about! Your content is very interesting, and I can tell you’re very knowledgeable in your field. I just found your channel and subbed! Keep up the good work!

Always sort of sad to heard about last survivors of lineages that lasted until reasonably recently, but didn’t make it to today.

The Moleverse continues to expand

"This is (also) not a ___" is a great type of vid that expands what the original did, while keeping the original shorter. It's not dumb at all.

its always nice to have some mole knowledge

All I can really say is thank you! As a person with just a hobby-interest in the sciences but actually employed in the culinary field I am sort of in the "can't ask any good questions" area but I absolutely love absorbing everything I can and I just appreciate how cutting edge and interesting your channel is on a level which is difficult to encapsulate in KZfaq commentary, but here's a KZfaq comment anyway

Speaking for just myself, I wouldn't mind a two parter planned for each convergent evolution concept. One with some major and all minor ones you're sure about, holding a major one or two back along with ones that might need more research as well as leaving open the possibility of ones you weren't aware of.

I absolutely refuse to believe that not a single dinosaur has evolved burrowing lifestyle. I expect (and demand) another apology video just like this one, as soon as one will be discovered!

They're not only fascinating animals but so very adorable!

So basically the mammalian equivalent of evolve to crab is evolve to mole?

can't wait for the several hour crab convergent evolution video.

*Evolution:* how many times do you want to evolve? *Mole:* Yes

Imagine overlooking these mole wannabes, I love your channel and all the work you put into it. I have never found another site that makes me want to learn more about palaeontology than this one. I even did an online Diploma in Anthropology because of you!

Don't worry about it Ben. You are an exemplar of how science works. With more info and peer review we all grow better informed and reach closer to the Apex of knowledge.

Brilliant, thank you Ben. Love the information, and your presentation. Love listening to your voice teaching us about things we didn't know we didn't know.

you look so much more relaxed and less stressed in this one... great video man. i literally love your videos. your such an amazing and insightful human being. please keep up the good work. thank you

Good job Ben can't wait to see what's next hope it's something like Every time something evolved into a lizard

Just listened Ben- and very glad you missed them first time round because this was great

Thank God you missed them so you could make another cause I'm totally hooked ❤❤❤❤❤

Did you hear about a 500 000 year old man made wooden structure being discovered?

You’re the best best.❤ taking the science of discovery and making it so very pleasantly enjoyable while learning.

We also have the Mylodontoidea ground-sloths that suffered a talpalization process somewhat. They are the most probable creators of the _Megaichnos major_ paleoburrows in South America. We also find in them, the burrowing adaptations like massive ossicles, a strong spine, anterior members and claws.

I like that you left them out the first time because now it feels like I'm getting surprise extra bonus content on the subject 😄

Very fascinating animals! Thank you!

definitely make a higher tier and include perks accordingly. people WILL pay to provide greater support to the channel as it's a one-of-a-kind content service you provide. Long time follower and huge fan!

wow ben g thomas i cant belive you let down the mole community like that😔

'Necrolestes' such a cool name for a metal band. The moles evolved in holes lol. Gives me anxiety imagining being underground struggling to breathe.. what an existence 😖

You’re funny as hell Ben. Great video as always, but I was dying at your humor which was self deprecating yet also throwing shade at the people bashing you for missing various mole-like animals.

Love these convergent evolution video, love to see what evolved the Triassic

Well done. Always learn a ton. 😊

* *Slaps roof of the car* * "This bad boy is not a mole"

Best KZfaq apology I've ever seen.

i made a mole like evolution for the wallace project (i'll be honest it was more graboid, but it had mole claws)

The video is so nice as always🎉❤

loving the convergent evolutions videos

Eventually, everything will either be a mole or a crab.

By making a multimediamoment out of a mole hill. You have dug quite a hole for yourself. Love the channel man.👍

I can't wait until something evolves into a mole-crab. That will be the peak of evolutionary progression.

A saber-toothed mole sounds like a character from Ice Age.

Moth Light Media has a few videos on the evolution of various subjects, and they even have a video on Convergent evolution; I think you might enjoy using the channel as a resource, even if it's just a means to find sources for a subject.

The great dig for the OG mole

Imagine if this got a followup with “Future Animals that have evolved into moles”.

Convergent evolution is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Hey i love your channel keep it up

This series is great.

I wasn’t ready for this

Your channel is fascinating! I have seen a lot of old animal prints that label the Platypus a "Duck Billed Mole", a "Water Mole" or a "Duck Mole".

Moles are lovely creatures and I love this video on how some creature are moles whole also no being moles So interesting yet complex, I hope you all had a great day

This was somehow even more exciting than the last video

Next video I can easily see being on sabertoothed therapsids or dog-like mammals.

Could you do a video on the convergent evolution of legless lizards? I also consider snakes as legless lizards, because you cannot remove them from the lizard order (Squamata), without making the term lizard paraphyletic. I think you should start with the snakes, because they are also the most famous.

Looking forward to the third video on this subject.

You can do a Evolution series video on "Everytime something turned into Elephants" ! That have it potential ! True Elephants are already a diverse groups including many others families than the Modern Elephants family, Elephantidae. All true elephants are part of Elephantimorpha, but every members of evert groups outside the Elephantid family are called "Archaic Elephants", in order to not mistake them with the only extant surviving members. As such, until very recently there was as Elephants the Stegodontid, Mammutidae (Mastodonts), Gomphoteres, Amebelodontid, or even Anancidae. But several others clades of related or unrelatted animals have evolved into a Elephants-like body or developped Elephants-like traits. Such Tapirs, the extinct Astrapotheres from Meridiungulata, or the Deinotheriidae with Deinotherium (which yes, despite being a Proboscidean as true elephants, in reality wasn't one, due to not be member of Elephantimorpha but Plesielephantiforme, a apart branche of the Proboscidean). So yes, less clades of aparts animals that have undergo convergent evolution, bit still worth it to show and present in a video.

Amazing Video :)

It would be interesting to see the comvergent evolution of trees!

I think you are sure right there, a structure like the star nose moles star nose should not be assumed from a fossil without it. It probably has some kind of structure doing similar work but it might be whiskers or soft lips or something like that.

A huge win for the mole community

We probably got a much more indepth look at these two species because of the oversight, so it's a win for everybody. Now the song "The Mole From The Ministry" by The Dukes of Stratosphear is in my head. Also a bonus.

Don’t beat yourself up! Things happen! You’re awesome Ben!

I find it fascinating how all these "mole like" animals are mammals... but I guess it makes some sense.

An hour wasn't enough mole-like convergent evolution. I'm glad you understand. We forgive you.

theory: the crab is the perfect shape of the crustacean right? so maybe the mole is the perfect shape of the mammals.

Could you do one on animals that have converged on "bat", ie, nocturnal or crepuscular flying insectivores? The goatsuckers would qualify, maybe also some pterosaurs I don't know of...

Necrolestes sounds like a supervillain

Is it possible to do a video on all animals that evolved "saber" like teeth? I expect it to mostly consist of big cats and some deer, but I'd love to see y'alls take on that

ideas for videos, what was the biggest mole. what was the biggest flying mammal. i would love to find out what was the biggest mammal

Is it possible for a crab to evolve into a mole? That would be Wild

I'M SO GLAD that you did a second video! Stop apologizing--your professional cred is not at stake!

Looking for when moles evolve to crabs, and crabs evolve to moles

Fossil-o-gists having vigorous arguments over a few fragments of bones...very prehistoric.

Mole and Crab. Nature's two final forms. 🤣

They see me molin' They hatin'

Oh no! There's mole of them

You're teaching people about wonderful rarely encountered animals and fascinating words that will never be used in 99.999% of all conversations. So see it as an opportunity to make another video rather than an apology.

And don’t forget mole voles, mole salamanders, and the extinct mole ducks.

This part 2 is but a prelude to the Eldritch Abyss that looking into crab convergence will be. I foresee great disturbance in your future.

I've watched both videos and you still missed one maybe? A case COULD be made that burrowing frogs are molesque in body plan.

From the makers of "Everything keeps evolving into Crabs"...

has anyone ever considered how funny moles look i just did now every time i see one its Hilarious edit 0:24 so you could say these mole lineages... went under ground.

They should make a new term for the form of convergent evolution that involves mammaliformes evolving into Moles.

It’s really a testament to how successful the Mole body plan is when so many animals converged on it that it’s possible to simply forget some of them 😂 Nature is so Rad!

Ok, so I have a bit of an out there question… can a species that has never had a history of conversion evolution to a mole like characteristics eventually evolve to fit that niche? Example, a feline species down the evolutionary line, develop mole like characteristic to b in that niche?

Next video: Permian synapsids that evolved into moles

what about non-mammalians? are there no mole-like reptiles/amphibians?

I still find it crazy that paleontologists can just look at a random tooth they find and conclude this is an entirely different species related to whatever. Like how the hell could they tell

Atoms became lead Sea critters to crabs, Now ground animals became moles.... What next?

Holy Moley