Ngoc Linh mole

The Ngoc Linh mole (Euroscaptor ngoclinhensis) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to central Vietnam.[1] It was named after Ngọc Linh mountain, which it was first discovered in the vicinity of.[2]

Ngoc Linh mole
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Genus: Euroscaptor
Species:
E. ngoclinhensis
Binomial name
Euroscaptor ngoclinhensis
Zemlemerova, Bannikova, Levedev, & Abramov, 2016
Ngoc Linh mole range
Synonyms

Euroscaptor parvidens ngoclinhensis

Taxonomy

E. ngoclinhensis was described in 2016 as a subspecies of the small-toothed mole (E. parvidens), with several anatomical differences distinguishing it from the nominate subspecies. However, a 2020 study found prominent differences in overall size and proportions between ngoclinhensis and parvidens sensu stricto, and thus split E. ngoclinhensis as its own distinct species. E. ngoclinhensis is thought to have split from E. parvidens during the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene, about 4.6 to 2.0 million years ago.[2][3]

Distribution

This species is thought to be endemic to the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in Kon Tum and Quang Nam provinces. Moles from Gia Lai Province may also belong to this species.[2]

Description

This is a small-sized mole only comparable to the Vietnamese mole (E. subanura) in size. It has a bulb-shaped tail and a long and moderately wide rostrum. It has a smaller body & skull size and shorter upper & lower tooth rows than E. parvidens.[2]

References
  1. "Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  2. Zemlemerova, E.D.; Bannikova, A.A.; Lebedev, V.S.; Rozhnov, V.V.; Abramov, A.V. (2016). "Secrets of the Underground Vietnam: an Underestimated Species Diversity of Asian Moles (Lipotyphla: Talpidae: Euroscaptor)". Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS. 320 (2): 193–2200. doi:10.31610/trudyzin/2016.320.2.193. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  3. Hai, Bui Tuan; Motokawa, Masaharu; Kawada, Shin-Ichiro; Abramov, Alexei V.; Son, Nguyen Truong (August 2020). "Skull Variation in Asian Moles of the Genus Euroscaptor (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae) in Vietnam". Mammal Study. 45 (4): 265–280. doi:10.3106/ms2019-0058. ISSN 1343-4152. S2CID 225237099.
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