Lesser blind mole-rat

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Lesser blind mole-rat
Slipak bilozubii (Nannospalax leucodon).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Spalacidae
Genus: Nannospalax
Species:
N. leucodon
Binomial name
Nannospalax leucodon
(Nordmann, 1840)
Spalax leucodon range map.png
Synonyms

Spalax leucodonNordmann, 1840

The lesser blind mole-rat (Nannospalax leucodon) is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine. [2]

Prior to 2012, it was classified in the genus Spalax , but modern authors tend to separate this and some closely related mole rat species into a separate genus named Nannospalax . A study of the dentition showed that Nannospalax leucodon is a superspecies consisting of several cryptic species that can be distinguished by the caries in their teeth. According to this definition there are four separate "cariological" forms in the Carpathian Basin, one of them endangered and another one vulnerable while insufficient data are available to evaluate the conservation status of the other two forms. [3]

Blind mole-rats are not in fact completely blind as they do possess simple eyes 1mm in diameter and located under a layer of skin and fur. They act effectively as light meters, only sensing the level of available light. [4]

The lesser blind mole-rat was declared to be extinct in Croatia in 1984, having been present in the area of Srijem up until the 20th century, but its continued presence in Vučedol was confirmed in 2023. [5]

One study directed towards life expectancy used this species by virtue of its incredible longevity performance, hypoxia and hypercapnia endurance, as well as cancer resistance. Looking at the fecal and skin samples of this ideal candidate, it was found that the Muribaculaceae bacterial family, known to be linked with longevity, dominated fecal samples. [6]

Related Research Articles

Mole-rat or mole rat can refer to several groups of burrowing Old World rodents:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naked mole-rat</span> Burrowing eusocial rodent

The naked mole-rat, also known as the sand puppy, is a burrowing rodent native to the Horn of Africa and parts of Kenya, notably in Somali regions. It is closely related to the blesmols and is the only species in the genus Heterocephalus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spalacidae</span> Family of rodents

The Spalacidae, or spalacids, are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. They are native to eastern Asia, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe. It includes the blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, mole-rats, and zokors. This family represents the oldest split in the muroid superfamily, and comprises animals adapted to a subterranean way of life. These rodents were thought to have evolved adaptations to living underground independently until recent genetic studies demonstrated they form a monophyletic group. Members of the Spalacidae are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other members of the Muroidea.

<i>Spalax</i> Genus of rodents

Spalax is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, subfamily Spalacinae. It is one of two extant genera in the subfamily Spalacinae, alongside Nannospalax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blind mole-rat</span> Subfamily of rodents

The blind mole-rats, also known as the fossorial or subterranean mole rats, are a subfamily (Spalacinae) of rodents in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and western and central Asia. The hystricognath mole-rats of the family Bathyergidae are completely unrelated, but some other forms are also in the family Spalacidae. Zokors, root rats, and bamboo rats are spalacids also sometimes referred to as mole rats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle East blind mole-rat</span> Species of mammal

The Middle East blind mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae.

<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">Anatolian blind mole-rat</span> Species of rodent

The Anatolian blind mole-rat or Nehring's blind mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is found in Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey.

The Bukovina blind mole-rat or (erroneously) the Balkan blind mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae found in Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Mehely's blind mole-rat is an endangered species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Romania.

The Oltenia blind mole-rat is a critically endangered, possibly extinct species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Romania.

References

  1. Kryštufek, B. & Amori, G. (2017) [amended version of 2008 assessment]. "Nannospalax leucodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T14328A113301882. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T14328A113301882.en . Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. "Nannospalax leucodon (Nordmann, 1840)". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  3. KRYŠTUFEK, BORIS; IVANITSKAYA, ELENA; ARSLAN, ATILLA; ARSLAN, EMINE; BUŽAN, ELENA V. (2011-10-31). "Evolutionary history of mole rats (genus Nannospalax) inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 105 (2): 446–455. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01795.x. ISSN   0024-4066. S2CID   83596816.
  4. Kashash, Yael; Smarsh, Grace; Zilkha, Noga; Yovel, Yossi; Kimchi, Tali (2022). "Alone, in the dark: The extraordinary neuroethology of the solitary blind mole rat". eLife. 11. doi: 10.7554/eLife.78295 . PMC   9177142 . PMID   35674717.
  5. "Veliko otkriće na Vučedolu, pronađen glodavac kojeg se smatralo izumrlim: 'Pojeo nam je svo povrće!'". www.jutarnji.hr. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  6. Altuntas, E., Yildirim, B., Ozturk, G., Yildirim, S., Sibai, M., Altuntaş, E., Yıldırım, B., Öztürk, G., Yıldırım, S., & Demircan, T. (2020). Microbiome and Longevity: High Abundance of Longevity-Linked Muribaculaceae in the Gut of the Long-Living Rodent Spalax leucodon. Omics : a Journal of Integrative Biology., 24(10), 592–601. https://doi.org/10.1089/omi.2020.0116