Chrysospalax trevelyani (Information about this image)
Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Magnordo: Epitheria
Superordo: Afrotheria
Cladus: Afroinsectiphilia
Cladus: Afroinsectivora
Ordo: Afrosoricida
Subordo: Chrysochloridea
Familia: Chrysochloridae
Subfamilia: Chrysochlorinae
Genus: Chrysospalax
Species: Chrysospalax trevelyani
Name
Chrysospalax trevelyani (Günther, 1875)
Type locality: South Africa, Eastern Cape Prov., Pirie Forest, near King William's Town.
References
Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1875: 311.
Chrysospalax trevelyani in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
IUCN: Chrysospalax trevelyani (Günther, 1875) (Endangered)
Chrysospalax trevelyani (Günther, 1875) – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Reuse-gouemol, Reuse-kruipmol
Ελληνικά: Γιγάντιος Χρυσοτυφλοπόντικας
English: Giant Golden Mole
suomi: Jättiläiskultamyyrä
magyar: Óriás aranyvakond
polski: Złotokret olbrzymi
The giant golden mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani) is a small mammal found in Africa. At 23 centimetres (9.1 in) in length, it is the largest of the golden mole species.[2] This mole has dark, glossy brown fur; the name golden comes from the Greek word for green-gold,[3] the family Chrysochloridae name.
Characteristics
The giant golden mole has a subterranean lifestyle.[3] It has large claws around 17 millimetres (0.67 in) long and 7 millimetres (0.28 in)[4] across the base, powerful forelimbs, no external tail or ears, wedge-shaped head, leather pad, and skin covering the eyes. It is approximately 208–235 millimetres (8.2–9.3 in) in length and 410–500 grams (14–18 oz) in weight.[3] With dark and brown skin on the upper parts and faded on the underparts[2] sometimes with a darker line down the mid-throat. The coloration is slightly darker on the head, with two dull yellow patches where the eyes would be, and a yellow patch around the ear openings.[4] The hair is longer, about 20 millimetres (0.79 in) long,[4] and coarser than any other species of golden mole: thick, with dense, woolly underfur.[3]
Biology
The largest, rarest, and most endangered of all 17 species of golden moles,[5] the giant golden mole spends most of its time underground and is blind and deaf. It is nocturnal, hunting mostly at night, but also in some cool and cloudy daytime conditions.[3] It is solitary; it does not form groups, despite some social behavior such as hibernating in others' burrows among the roots of trees in winter, only moving slightly to keep its body temperature in range and twitching to maintain body temperature while sleeping.[5] Female giant golden moles give birth to one or two offspring at a time while it has stocks of food supply. The acanthocephalan Heptamegacanthus niekerki has been found parasitizing the giant golden mole by attaching to the wall of the rectum.[6]
Diet
The giant golden mole digs semi-permanent tunnels about 10 metres (33 ft) in length linked by surface runways[4] for hunting food and may feed on the surface hiding in the leaf litter. It eats mainly millipedes and giant earthworms, but also crickets, cockroaches, grasshoppers, worms, and snails.[5]
The giant golden mole is endemic to South Africa
Habitat
The giant golden mole is a subterranean small mammal, living in chambers and passages underneath a very specific habitat, forests with soft soil, deep leaf litter layers, and well-developed undergrowth.[2] The giant golden mole is endemic to South Africa, mostly in a restricted area in the Eastern Cape.[1]
Population
Status
The giant golden mole was classified as Endangered (EN) in 2010 on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The population is decreasing[1] due to habitat loss resulting mainly from human activities affecting its habitat such as firewood collection, bark stripping, cutting for construction, overgrazing of livestock, and clearance of forest. Moreover, the giant golden mole is preyed on by domestic dogs in that area.[3][5]
Conservation
The giant golden mole currently receives little protection, and is not a main conservation target.[3] Research is needed to protect this species and to assess the status and viability of the remaining populations.
References
Bronner, G. (2015). "Chrysospalax trevelyani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T4828A21289898. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T4828A21289898.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
"EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Archived from the original on 2017-07-07. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
Bronner, G. "Giant golden mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani)". Arkive. Archived from the original on 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
Skinner, John D.; Chimimba, Christian T. (2005). The mammals of the southern African subregion (third revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge university press. ISBN 0521844185.
""Mole, Giant Golden." Endangered Species". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
Jones, Mary E. Spencer (1990). "Heptamegacanthus niekerki n. G., n. Sp. (Acanthocephala: Oligacanthorhynchidae) from the south-east African insectivore Chrysospalax trevelyani (Günther, 1875)". Systematic Parasitology. 15 (2): 133–140. doi:10.1007/BF00009991. S2CID 23497546.
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