Greater blind mole-rat: Difference between revisions

Greater Mole Rat
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Spalacidae
Genus:	Spalax
Species:	S. microphthalmus
Binomial name
	Spalax microphthalmus; Guldenstaedt, 1770
Synonyms
	S. pallasii Nordmann, 1839; S. typhlus Pallas, 1779;

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The Greater Mole Rat (Spalax microphthalmus) is a species of rodent in the Spalacidae family. 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 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3. ^[1]

Behavior

The Greater Mole Rat is a nocturnal or crepuscular species. 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.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b MacDonald, David (1993). Mammals of Britain & Europe. Vol. 1. London: HarperCollins. p. 239. ISBN 0002197790. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Amori, G. 1996. Spalax microphthalmus. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 July 2007.
Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894-1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

This Muroid rodent article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[macdonald-1] MacDonald, David (1993). Mammals of Britain & Europe. Vol. 1. London: HarperCollins. p. 239. ISBN 0002197790. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

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 ==Behavior==
-The Greater Mole Rat is a [[nocturnal]] or [[crepuscular]] species.  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.
+The Greater Mole Rat is a [[nocturnal]] or [[crepuscular]] species.  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.<ref name= macdonald> </ref>
 ==References==