Greater mole rat

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Greater mole rat
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Spalacidae
Genus: Spalax
Species: S. microphthalmus
Binomial name
Spalax microphthalmus
Gueldenstaedt, 1770
Synonyms
  • S. pallasii Nordmann, 1839
  • S. typhlus Pallas, 1779

The greater mole rat (Spalax microphthalmus) is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae.[2] It is found in Russia and Ukraine.

Description

The greater mole rat is tail-less. The eyes are covered by a membrane of skin and have atrophied lens cells enclosed in a vesicle and a retinal layer. It has prominent incisor teeth, which are used for burrowing. The fur is greyish, but can vary in color. It can grow to a size of 31 cm and weigh up to 570 g. Its dental formula is 1.0.0.31.0.0.3 [3]

Behavior

The greater mole rat is a fossorial species that stays underground except when dispersing to new territories as juveniles, a period of great vulnerability. It lives solitarily, except during the breeding season. Due to its atrophied eyes it is totally blind. The paws are not modified like the ones of the moles; it digs with its incisor teeth instead.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Tsytsulina, K., Formozov, N., Zagorodnyuk, I. & Sheftel, B. (2008). "Spalax microphthalmus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 June 2012. 
  2. ↑ Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 921. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 MacDonald, David; Priscilla Barret (1993). Mammals of Britain & Europe 1. London: HarperCollins. p. 239. ISBN 0-00-219779-0. 
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