"Russian desmans are of interest because they are a relict species, millions of years old"
22.01.2026
Scientists from the European University at St. Petersburg, together with colleagues from Moscow State University and the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, have decoded the complete genome of the Russian desman for the first time. The results revealed the species' very low genetic diversity. These data will help develop scientific methods for its conservation and population restoration. A report on the study was published in Izvestia.