Scapanulus oweni, Thomas, 1912

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Talpidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 52-619 : 598

8.

Gansu Mole

Scapanulus oweni

French: Taupe du Gansu / German: Gansu-Maulwurf / Spanish: Topo de Gansu

Taxonomy. Scapanulus owen: Thomas, 1912 ,

“23 miles [= 37 km] S.E. of Tao- chou. 9000’ [= 2743 m],” Gansu, China .

Morphological and molecular data suggest that S. oweni is closely related to Parascalops broweri from North America. Scapanulus oweni is the only extant species of Scapanulus . Monotypic.

Distribution. C China (Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Hubei).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-91 mm, tail 35-49 mm, hindfoot 14-19 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Tail of the Gansu Mole is 43-:8-53-8% of head-body length. Body is mole-like. First toe of hindfootis diagnostic; it is set outward at a slight angle against remaining toes and is stouter and more sharply curved than in other species of moles. Dental formulais 12/2, C1/1,P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 36. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 34 and FNa = 64.

Habitat. Mossy undergrowth of montane fir forests at elevations of 1500-3000 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Gansu Mole is fossorial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No Information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Bannikova, Zemlemerova, Lebedev et al. (2015), He et al. (2012), Hoffmann & Lunde (2008), Hutterer (2005a), Motokawa (2004).

Figures

1. Equivalent-teeth Shrew Mole (Uropsilus aequodonenia), 2. Anderson’s Shrew Mole (Uropsilus andersont), 3. Gracile Shrew Mole (Uropsilus gracilis), 4. Inquisitive Shrew Mole (Uropsilus investigator), 5. Chinese Shrew Mole (Uropsilus soricipes), 6. Snow Mountain Shrew Mole (Uropsilus nivatus), 7. Black-backed Shrew Mole (Uropsilus atronates), 8. Gansu Mole (Scapanulus oweni), 9. Hairy-tailed Mole (Parascalops breweri), 10. Coast Mole (Scapanus orarius), 11. Townsend’s Mole (Scapanus townsend), 12. Broad-footed Mole (Scapanus latimanus), 13. Mexican Mole (Scapanus anthonyi), 14. Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus), 15. Long-tailed Mole (Scaptonyx fusicauda), 16. Japanese Shrew Mole (Urotrichus talpoides), 17. True’s Shrew Mole (Dymecodon pilirostris), 18. American Shrew Mole (Neurotrichus gibbsi), 19. Star-nosed Mole (Condylura cristata), 20. Russian Desman (Desmana moschata), 21. Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)

Distribution. C China (Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Hubei).