Siberian blind mole rat

Siberian blind mole rat
Systematics
Superfamily :	Mice-like (Muroidea)
Family :	Spalacidae
Subfamily :	Blind mole rat (Myospalacinae)
Tribe :	Myospalacini
Genre :	Myospalax
Type :	Siberian blind mole rat
Scientific name
	Myospalax myospalax
	( Laxmann , 1773)

The Siberian blind mole rat ( Myospalax myospalax ) belongs to the subfamily of the blind mole rat and is a rodent species that mainly lives underground in Central Asia.

features

Myospalax myospalax reaches a head-trunk length of up to 26 centimeters. The tail is relatively short with a length of up to 6.5 centimeters. Adult males reach a body mass of 225–720 grams. The females are slightly lighter with an average of 200–540 grams. The fur is reddish-brown on the back, slightly lighter on the belly and flanks.

Like other blind mole, the Siberian blind mole is adapted to a burrowing way of life. The body shape is approximately cylindrical. The forelimbs are short but strong and have long crescent-shaped claws for digging. Eyes and auricles are receded and largely hidden in the fur.

The Siberian mole rat differs from other members of the genus Myospalax in particular in the shape of the rootless molars and the number of chromosomes (2n = 44).

distribution

Distribution area of the Siberian blind mole rat

The Siberian blind mole rat lives in Central Asia in eastern Kazakhstan and in the south of western Siberia .

As habitats it mainly inhabits steppes with bushes, less often forest areas , meadows or agricultural areas. The distribution depends on soft meadow soils, the dry steppe and stony surfaces are avoided. In mountain regions, the species occurs up to an altitude of 2,750 meters.

Way of life

The Siberian blind mole rat lives mostly underground and only comes to the surface for short foraging or when the young swarm out of their parents' den. It is primarily active at twilight in the evening and in the morning. A hibernation does not occur.

The buildings, which can assume a total length of up to 150 meters, consist of several levels, with the upper corridors with a diameter of 8 to 13 centimeters, 5 to 27 centimeters below the surface and mainly used for foraging. The deeper level of 40 to 110 centimeters deep consists mainly of chambers and short corridors. There are storage chambers, toilet chambers and the actual nest at a depth of 15 to 30 centimeters.

nutrition

The Siberian blind mole rat feeds on tubers, onions and cereals as well as on green parts of plants from numerous plants. He pulls whole stalks of grain under the earth and stores the grain in an underground storage room. The winter supply includes up to eight kilograms of roots, tubers and other plant parts.

Reproduction

The mating season of the animals extends from September and October to March or April. Once a year a female blind mole rat gives birth to between one and ten, usually three to five young animals.

Threat and protection

The species is rated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as "Least Concern" due to its large distribution area and population size. However, a decline in habitats and population numbers in parts of the distribution area is shown, so that it is to be assessed as endangered in some areas of Kazakhstan and Siberia.

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b M. I. Saoulitch: Myospalax myospalax Laxmann - Siberian Zokor, Mole-rat. In: AN Afonin, SL Greene, NI Dzyubenko & AN Frolov (eds.): Interactive Agricultural Ecological Atlas of Russia and Neighboring Countries: Economic Plants and their Diseases, Pests and Weeds , 2008, ( online ).
^ ^A ^b G. R. McGhee: Convergent Evolution: Limited Forms Most Beautiful. The MIT Press, Cambridge (Massachusetts) / London (England), 2011, ISBN 978-0-262-01642-1 , p. 27, ( extract )
↑ MA Lawrence: A Fossil Myospalax Cranium (Rodentia: Muridae) from Shanxi, China, with Observations on Zokor Relationships. In: Th. A. Griffith & D. Klingener (Eds.): Contributions to Mammalogy in Honor of Karl F. Koopman , Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, Volume 206, 1991, pp. 261-286.
^ AT Smith & Y. Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 211-212, ( excerpt ).
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Myospalax myospalax in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: K. Tsytsulina, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2012 Design.

Web links

Myospalax myospalax in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: K. Tsytsulina, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2012 Design.

[AgroAtlas-1] M. I. Saoulitch: Myospalax myospalax Laxmann - Siberian Zokor, Mole-rat. In: AN Afonin, SL Greene, NI Dzyubenko & AN Frolov (eds.): Interactive Agricultural Ecological Atlas of Russia and Neighboring Countries: Economic Plants and their Diseases, Pests and Weeds , 2008, ( online ).

[McGhee,_2011-2] A ^b G. R. McGhee: Convergent Evolution: Limited Forms Most Beautiful. The MIT Press, Cambridge (Massachusetts) / London (England), 2011, ISBN 978-0-262-01642-1 , p. 27, ( extract )

[Lawrence,_1991-3] MA Lawrence: A Fossil Myospalax Cranium (Rodentia: Muridae) from Shanxi, China, with Observations on Zokor Relationships. In: Th. A. Griffith & D. Klingener (Eds.): Contributions to Mammalogy in Honor of Karl F. Koopman , Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, Volume 206, 1991, pp. 261-286.

[Smith_&_Xie,_2008-4] AT Smith & Y. Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 211-212, ( excerpt ).

[IUCN-5] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Myospalax myospalax in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: K. Tsytsulina, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2012 Design.