Hottentot golden mole
The Hottentot golden mole (Amblysomus hottentotus) is a species of mammal in the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, and possibly Lesotho. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry and moist lowland forest and dry shrubland and grassland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, savanna, temperate grassland, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas.[2]
Hottentot golden mole[1] | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Afrosoricida |
Family: | Chrysochloridae |
Genus: | Amblysomus |
Species: | A. hottentotus |
Binomial name | |
Amblysomus hottentotus (A. Smith, 1829) | |
Subspecies | |
Amblysomus hottentotus hottentotus | |
Hottentot golden mole range |
It has several subspecies, including the Zulu golden mole (Amblysomus hottentotus iris).
In 2013 it was discovered that Hottentot golden moles prefer mates with larger penises.[3]
References
- Bronner, G.N.; Jenkins, P.D. (2005). "Order Afrosoricida". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- Bronner, G.; Mynhardt, S. (2015). "Amblysomus hottentotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T41316A21286316. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T41316A21286316.en.
- Tarryn A. Retief; Nigel. C. Bennett; Anouska A. Kinahan; Philip W. Bateman (26 January 2013). "Sexual selection and genital allometry in the Hottentot golden mole (Amblysomus hottentotus)". Mammalian Biology. 78 (5): 356–360. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2012.12.002. hdl:2263/58415.