Insular mole

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Insular mole
Status iucn3.1 LC.svg
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)(includes latouchei and kanoana) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Genus: Mogera
Species:
M. insularis
Binomial name
Mogera insularis
R. Swinhoe, 1863
Mogera insularis distribution map.svg
Insular mole range (erroneously includes whole of Taiwan)

The insular mole (Mogera insularis) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is restricted to Hainan Island and Taiwan, where it is also known as the Formosan blind mole. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1863.

Contents

Taxonomy

La Touche's mole (M. latouchei) of mainland China and northern Vietnam was formerly considered conspecific with M. insularis until a 2007 taxonomic analysis found it to be a distinct species. In addition, the same study found that populations of M. insularis in the mountainous center and western lowlands of Taiwan represented a new, distinct species, Kano's mole (M. kanoana). The same study also treated the Hainan population as a distinct species (M. hainana) for the sake of comparing geographic variation, but did not do genetic analysis on it and thus later authorities have not followed through with hainana as a distinct species. However, a 2021 genetic analysis found hainana to likely represent a distinct species, leaving insularis as endemic to only Taiwan. [2] [3]

Phylogenetic evidence supports it being the sister species to a clade comprising kanoana and hainana (if the latter is considered a distinct species). [3]

Characteristics

Mogera insularis is unique from other moles in the Talpinae family in that it has 32 chromosomes instead of 34 to 38 chromosomes. Additionally, Mogera insularis members also have a metacentric chromosome pair that is much larger than its other chromosome markers. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talpidae</span> Family of small insectivorous mammals

The family Talpidae includes the moles who are small insectivorous mammals of the order Eulipotyphla. Talpids are all digging animals to various degrees: moles are completely subterranean animals; shrew moles and shrew-like moles somewhat less so; and desmans, while basically aquatic, excavate dry sleeping chambers; whilst the quite unique star-nosed mole is equally adept in the water and underground. Talpids are found across the Northern Hemisphere of Eurasia and North America, and range as far south as the montane regions of tropical Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talpinae</span> Subfamily of mammals

The subfamily Talpinae, sometimes called "Old World moles" or "Old World moles and relatives", is one of three subfamilies of the mole family Talpidae, the others being the Scalopinae, or New World moles, and the Uropsilinae, or shrew-like moles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese mole</span> Species of mammal

The Japanese mole, also known as Temminck's mole, is a species of mole endemic to Japan. A solitary and diurnal species, it can live for up to 3.5 years in the wild. Their sizes vary depending on the temperature and the hardness of the soil they reside in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kano's mole</span> Species of mammal

Kano's mole is a species of mole endemic to Taiwan. The specific name kanoana is derived from Tadao Kano, a Japanese naturalist who made the first record of these animals in 1940s.

<i>Nannospalax</i> Genus of rodents

Nannospalax is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and western Asia. It is one of two genera in the blind mole-rats, alongside Spalax. Members of this genus are also known as small-bodied mole-rats. As with members of the genus Spalax, they are completely blind, with their eyes being entirely covered by skin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian giant flying squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The Indian giant flying squirrel, also called the large brown flying squirrel or the common giant flying squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is capable of gliding flight using a skin membrane, the patagium, stretched between front and hind legs. It is found in mainland Southeast and South Asia, and southern and central China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kloss's mole</span> Species of mammal

Kloss's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Laos and Thailand. It was named after zoologist C. Boden Kloss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan mole</span> Species of mammal

The Himalayan mole or short-tailed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echigo mole</span> Species of mammal

The Echigo mole is an endangered species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan, being found only on the Echigo plain, Niigata prefecture.

<i>Mogera</i> Genus of mammals

Mogera is a genus of mole in the tribe Talpini. They are native to East Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ussuri mole</span> Species of mammal

The Ussuri mole or large mole, is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae, formerly treated as a subspecies of the Japanese mole. It is found in China, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia and lives in a long burrow, seldom emerging on the surface of the ground during the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sado mole</span> Species of mammal

The Sado mole or Tokuda's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Sado Island, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senkaku mole</span> Species of mammal

The Senkaku mole, also known as the Ryukyu mole, is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It was formerly classified as being the only species in the genus Nesoscaptor. It is endemic to the Uotsuri-jima of the disputed territory of Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyutai Islands. It is most similar to the Insular mole of Taiwan and mainland China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern broad-footed mole</span> Species of mammal

The northern broad-footed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to the United States, where it is found in northern California, Nevada and Oregon at elevations up to 9,800 feet (3,000 m) above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talpini</span> Tribe of mammals

Talpini is a tribe of mammals known as Old World moles. It is a division of the subfamily Talpinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titania's woolly bat</span> Species of bat

Titania's woolly bat is a species of bat found in Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ognev's mole</span> Species of mammal

Ognev's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It occurs in the southeastern coastal area of the Black Sea from northeastern Turkey to Georgia. It inhabits different habitats associated with moist soils in lowland areas. Little information is available about its life history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talysch mole</span> Species of mammal

The Talysch mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is a small member of the family, which outwardly resembles the Levant mole, but is genetically closer to Père David's mole. It is common on the southwest coast of the Caspian Sea, from southern of Azerbaijan through most of the north of Iran. The habitat includes temperate rainforests and scrub areas. There is little information about the life history of the Talysch mole. It was described in 1945, but had long been considered a subspecies of various other Eurasian moles, and was only recognized as a distinct species in the mid-2010s. No surveys have been carried out to quantify the status of the species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Touche's mole</span> Species of mammal

La Touche's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in eastern China and parts of northern Vietnam. It is named after Irish naturalist John David Digues La Touche.

References

  1. Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H. (2016). "Mogera insularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T41463A22323693. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T41463A22323693.en .
  2. Kawada, Shin‐ichiro; Shinohara, Akio; Kobayashi, Shuji; Harada, Masashi; Oda, Sen‐ichi; Lin, Liang‐Kong (2007-05-01). "Revision of the mole genus Mogera (Mammalia: Lipotyphla: Talpidae) from Taiwan". Systematics and Biodiversity. 5 (2): 223–240. doi:10.1017/S1477200006002271. ISSN   1477-2000. S2CID   67838117.
  3. 1 2 Tu, Feiyun; Zhai, Xiaofei; Zhao, Wenjing; Wang, Jichao (2021-09-16). "New Mitogenome of the Hainan Mole Mogera hainana and Taxonomic Implications Based on Molecular Data". Mammal Study. 47 (1). doi:10.3106/ms2021-0008. ISSN   1343-4152. S2CID   240524352.
  4. Lin, L.-K.; Motokawa, M.; Harada, M. (2002). "Karyotype of Mogera insularis (Insectivora, Talpidae)". Mammalian Biology. 67 (3): 176–178. doi:10.1078/1616-5047-00025.