Lipotyphla is a formerly used invalid
order of
mammals, including the members of the order
Eulipotyphla (i.e. the
solenodons, family Solenodontidae; hedgehogs and gymnures, family
Erinaceidae; desmans, moles, and shrew-like moles, family
Talpidae; and true shrews, family
Soricidae) as well as two other
families of the former order
Insectivora,
Chrysochloridae (golden moles) and
Tenrecidae (tenrecs). However, molecular studies found the golden moles and tenrecs to be unrelated to the others (these
afrotherian groups were then put in their own order,
Afrosoricida). This made Lypotyphla an invalid
polyphyletic order and gave rise to the notion of
Eulypotyphla instead, an exclusively
laurasiatherian grouping.