| Malaysian mole | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Eulipotyphla |
| Family: | Talpidae |
| Genus: | Euroscaptor |
| Species: | E. malayanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Euroscaptor malayanus (Chasen, 1940) | |
 | |
| Malaysian mole range | |
| Synonyms | |
Euroscaptor malayana Contents | |
The Malaysian mole (Euroscaptor malayanus) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to the highlands of peninsular Malaysia, making it the southernmost known species of mole. [1]
This species was formerly classified as a subspecies of Kloss's mole (E. klossi) or (when considered an introduced species) the Himalayan mole (E. micrurus) but a 2008 study found notable morphological and genetic divergence, and split it as a distinct species. [1] [2] [3]
This species is known only from the Cameron Highlands, at altitudes from 1,300 to 1,600 meters above sea level. Specimens have been collected from tea plantations and surrounding gardens. This species' association with tea plantations (which goes back to its discovery in 1937 in a forest being converted into a tea plantation), as well as its heavily disjunct range from any other mole species, led to past speculation that it was an E. micrurus population that was accidentally introduced to Malaysia from Darjeeling, where the tea in the Cameron Highlands originated, with some taxonomists even describing it as a subspecies of E. micrurus. However, its heavy morphological and genetic divergence from other mole species, with taxonomic studies finding it to be most closely related to E. klossi, have confirmed its identity as a species native to Malaysia. [3]
The relative size of the upper molars to the greatest length of the skull is the largest in the genus Euroscaptor. [3]
The Malaysian mole is likely a relict species that persisted on the Cameron Highlands due to the cooler temperatures optimal for moles. The lowland areas of Malaysia are not suitable habitat due to their largely tropical climate, leading to scarcity of litter deposits and poor soil development. Due to this, the Malaysian mole may be at risk from global warming, as this may lead to a change in the optimal conditions for the species in the highlands. [3]
The order Insectivora is a now-abandoned biological grouping within the class of mammals. Some species have now been moved out, leaving the remaining ones in the order Eulipotyphla, within the larger clade Laurasiatheria, which makes up one of the most basic clades of placental 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.
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.
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia, abbreviated PERHILITAN, is a governmental organisation that is responsible for the protection, management and preservation of wildlife and national parks in Peninsular Malaysia.
Euroscaptor is a genus of mammal in the family Talpidae. Members are found in China and South & Southeast Asia. It contains the following species as of October 2021:
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.
The Himalayan mole or short-tailed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae.
The Japanese mountain mole is a species of Old World mole in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Oreoscaptor. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and temperate grassland.
The small-toothed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Di Linh, in southern Vietnam, and Rakho near the border of Vietnam and China, and in southern Yunnan, China, near the Vietnamese border. It is likely that it has a broader distribution, especially in places between the currently known locations.
The insular mole 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.
Talpini is a tribe of mammals known as Old World Moles. It is a division of the subfamily Talpinae.
Urotrichini is a tribe of the mole family, and consists of Japanese and American shrew-moles. They belong to the Old World moles and relatives branch of the mole family (Talpidae). There are only two species, each of which represents its own genus. The name "shrew-moles" refers to their morphological resemblance to shrews, while generally being thought of as "true moles". The species are the Japanese shrew mole, True's shrew mole and American shrew mole.
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.
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.
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.
Kuznetsov's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in northern Vietnam and southern China. It was named after Russian mammalogist German V. Kuznetsov of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Orlov's mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is known from northern Vietnam, southern China, and possibly Laos. It was named after Russian zoologist Nikolai L. Orlov of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The Ngoc Linh mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to central Vietnam. It was named after Ngọc Linh mountain, which it was first discovered in the vicinity of.
The southern broad-footed mole is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found only in the U.S. state of California and northernmost Baja California in Mexico.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)