Marley's gold mole
| Marley's gold mole | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Amblysomus marleyi | ||||||||||||
| Roberts , 1931 |
Marley's gold mole ( Amblysomus marleyi ) is a species of gold mole whose known occurrence is limited to only two localities in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal . She inhabits open grasslands and forests there. Characteristic for the animals, as for the other golden mulle, are a conspicuously spindle-shaped body with externally invisible ears and tail as well as the strong claws of the forefeet. However, Marley's gold mole is built much more gracefully than other representatives of the copper gold mole . The way of life of the animals has hardly been researched, they dig in the ground and are solitary and nocturnal. The first scientific description took place in 1931, the population is considered to be severely threatened.
features
Habitus
Marley's gold mole is a smaller representative of the gold mole with a rather fine physique compared to the other copper gold mole . It reaches a head-torso length of 9 to 12 cm, determined on 13 individuals. The weight information is between 30 and 34 g. A clear sexual dimorphism is not pronounced, males are on average slightly larger than females. However, this could also be due to the small number of animals examined. Like all gold mole, Marley's gold mole has a spindle-shaped body, ears and tail are not externally visible. The back fur is reddish-brown in color, on the belly there are predominantly dull orange to gray tones. The muzzle and cheeks as well as the throat appear lighter than the back. A wide, white band often extends from the fleshy nose to under the eyes hidden in the fur. The outer hairs have yellowish bases and gray tips. The exception is off-white hair on the snout. The limbs are stocky, the hands have four, the feet five rays, each with claws. The middle claw of the hand (ray III) is strong, but not as clearly massive as in the other copper gold mullets. It becomes 3.7 to 4.4 mm wide at the base and a total of 10.5 to 13 mm long. The hind foot is speckled brown, its length varies from 11 to 13 mm.
Skull and dentition features
The length of the skull is 22.4 to 24.7 mm, the greatest width 13.9 to 16 mm. It is significantly shorter and slimmer than that of other copper gold mulle. The bit is made up of a total of 36 teeth along the dental formula is: . The rearmost molar is usually not formed. The lower molars each have a strong talonid. The foremost premolar is two-pointed ( bicuspid or sectorial ). The upper row of teeth is 5.3 to 6.1 mm long from the canine to the second molar.
distribution
Marley's gold mole is endemic to southern Africa . It is tied to the coastal forest zone, but only known from two localities (Ubombo and Ingwavuma). These are about 49 km apart and are located on the eastern slopes of the Lebombo Mountains in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal . The entire distribution area is spread over an area of 1500 km², the actual occurrence is limited to about 32 km² with altitudes between 489 and 695 m above sea level. Finds from owl wool 250 km southwest of the known locations lead to the assumption that the species could be more widespread. The inhabited habitat consists of soft soils in moist grasslands and forests of the Veld , with the animals occurring in both the Lowveld and the Bushveld. The species also occurs in gardens. It is sometimes frequent locally; quantitative data are not available. In the coastal plains of Mozambique further east, Marley's gold mole is replaced by the yellow gold mole ( Calcochloris obtusirostris ).
Way of life
In general, Marley's Goldmull is solitary and nocturnal, and he also lives underground. For these reasons it is seldom sighted and the way of life is largely unexplored. The animals dig in the ground, their burrows consist of two different systems of corridors. On the one hand they include tunnels close to the surface, which are used for foraging, and on the other hand deeper corridors with chambers for rest and retreat. The burrows are often under tree roots and under large boulders, the entrances to the deeper burrows are marked with small mounds of earth. The animals mainly feed on insects. Nothing more is known about reproduction.
Systematics
|
Internal systematics of the gold mole according to Asher et al. 2010
|
Marley's gold mole is a species from the genus of the copper gold mole ( Amblysomus ), which consists of a total of five members and thus forms the most varied group within the family of the gold mole (Chrysochloridae). The golden moles are endemic in Africa spread and include small, down-grave mammals from the superiority of the Afrotheria . Their main distribution is in southern Africa, but a few species are also found in eastern or central Africa. Due to the highly specialized way of life, the habitats of the individual species have narrow boundaries with a few exceptions. Two ecological groups can be distinguished within the gold mole. One is composed of shapes together, the dry and partly semi-desert colonize regions, such as the Grant's golden mole ( Eremitalpa ) or chrysochloris ( Chrysochloris ). These are the inhabitants of open grass and savannah landscapes as well as forests, for example the copper gold mulle, the giant gold mulle ( Chrysospalax ) or Arends' gold mulle ( Carpitalpa ). The internal structure of the family is not fully understood, as a rule two or three subfamilies are distinguished, which are defined by the structure of the hammer in the middle ear : the Amblysominae with a normally built malleus, the Chrysochlorinae with a greatly elongated head of the malleus and the Eremitalpinae with a spherically inflated head of the malleus. Some authors combine the latter two into a subfamily, the Chrysochlorinae. This subdivision of the gold mole, based on differences in skeletal anatomy, can not yet be fully confirmed by genetic findings. According to molecular genetic studies, Neamblysomus and Carpitalpa are the closest relatives of Amblysomus .
Marley's gold mole subspecies are unknown. The species was first described scientifically in 1931 by Austin Roberts . Eight individuals from Ubombo in Zululand in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal were available to him. Of these, the holotype , a full-grown male that was collected in October 1928, is the largest individual with a head-trunk length of 10.5 cm and a skull length of 24.5 mm. Ubombo is to be regarded as a type region of the species . The species is named after Harold Walter Bell-Marley, a South African naturalist. Later authors saw Marley's gold mole as a subspecies or variation of the Hottentot gold mole ( Amblysomus hottentotus ) or included it within the now no longer recognized species Amblysomus iris (this representative is now also considered a subspecies of the Hottentot gold mole). Investigations into the morphometry of the copper gold mole led in 1996 again to the recognition of Marley's gold mole as an independent species, whereby this stands out from related forms due to its significantly more delicate construction. Likewise, the geographical isolation speaks for an independence as a species. In terms of the karyotype , Marley's golden mole, with 30 chromosome pairs, is similar to the Hottentot golden mole, while other copper gold mole like the robust golden mole ( Amblysomus robustus ) or the highveld golden mole ( Amblysomus septentrionalis ) with a higher set of chromosomes differ more.
Hazard and protection
The greatest threat to the existence of Marley's gold mole is the loss of suitable habitats through overgrazing or through the destruction of forests for the removal of firewood, and the expansion of human settlements also has a negative effect in some cases. Domestic hunting or the use of pesticides in agriculture can still have an impact locally . The IUCN lists the species in the “endangered” category . So far it only occurs in one nature reserve, the Pongola Wilderness Area . There is a particular need for investigation to determine the exact distribution area and the extent to which the population is at risk.
literature
- Gary N. Bronner and Nigel C. Bennett: Amblysomus marleyi Roberts, 1931 - Marley's Golden mole. In: John D. Skinner and Christian T. Chimimba (Eds.): The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion. Cambridge University Press, 2005, pp. 19-20
- Gary N. Bronner: Amblysomus marleyi Marley's Golden-mole. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume I. Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria. Bloomsbury, London, 2013, pp. 230-231
- William A. Taylor, Samantha Mynhardt and Sarita Maree: Chrysochloridae (Golden moles). In: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 8: Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2018, pp. 180–203 (pp. 196–197) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Austin Roberts: New forms of South African mammals. Transactions of the Transvaal Museum 14 (3), 1931, pp. 221-236
- ^ A b c d e f Gary N. Bronner and Nigel C. Bennett: Amblysomus marleyi Roberts, 1931 - Marley's Golden mole. In: John D. Skinner and Christian T. Chimimba (Eds.): The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion. Cambridge University Press, 2005, pp. 19-20
- ^ A b c d e Gary N. Bronner: Amblysomus marleyi Marley's Golden-mole. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume I. Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria. Bloomsbury, London, 2013, pp. 230-231
- ^ A b c d e William A. Taylor, Samantha Mynhardt and Sarita Maree: Chrysochloridae (Golden moles). In: Don E. Wilson and Russell A. Mittermeier (eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 8: Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2018, pp. 180–203 (pp. 196–197) ISBN 978-84-16728-08-4
- ^ A b Gary N. Bronner and S. Mynhardt: Amblysomus marleyi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015. e.T62007A21284544 ( [1] ); last accessed on November 4, 2015
- ^ A b Robert J. Asher, Sarita Maree, Gary Bronner, Nigel C. Bennett, Paulette Bloomer, Paul Czechowski, Matthias Meyer and Michael Hofreiter: A phylogenetic estimate for golden moles (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Chrysochloridae). MC Evolutionary Biology 10, 2010, p. 69 doi : 10.1186 / 1471-2148-10-69
- ^ A b Alberto M. Simonetta: A new golden mole from Somalia with an appendix on the taxonomy of the family Chrysochloridae (Mammalia, Insectivora). Monitore Zoologico Italiano NS Supplement 2, 1968, pp. 27-55
- ^ Gary N. Bronner: Family Chrysochloridae Golden-moles. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume I. Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria. Bloomsbury, London, 2013, pp. 223-225
- ^ Galen B. Rathbun: Eponyms in the Afrotheria: Who were the people that had Afrotheria species named after them? Afrotherian Conservation 9, 2012, pp. 5-6
- ^ Gary N. Bronner: Geographic patterns of morphometric variation in the Hottentot golden mole, Amblysomus hottentotus (Insectivora: Chrysochloridae). A multivariate analysis. Mammalia 60 (4), 1996, pp. 729-751
- ^ Gary N. Bronner: Cytogenetic Properties of Nine Species of Golden Moles (Insectivora: Chrysochloridae). Journal of Mammalogy 76 (3), 1995, pp. 957-971
Web links
- Amblysomus marleyi in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2015 Posted by: G. Bronner & S. Mynhardt, 2014. Retrieved on November 4, 2015.