Myospalax epsilanus, Thomas, 1912

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Spalacidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 108-142 : 132

5.

Khingan Zokor

Myospalax epsilanus

French: Zokor des Khingan / German: Hinggan-Blindmull / Spanish: Zocor de Khingan

Taxonomy. Myospalax epsilanus Thomas, 1912 ,

“ Khingan Mts. , Manchuria, 3400 [= 1036 m],” Heilongjiang Province, China .

Member of M. psilurus species group according to G. G. Musser and M. D. Carleton in 2005 but treated (along with M. psilurus ) as a member of the M. aspalax group in I. Ya. Pavlinov and A. A. Lissovsky in 2012. Myospalax epsilanus is the sister species of M. psilurus , and the two have often been historically united into the same species, M. psilurus . M. A. Lawrence in 1991 proposed that M. epsilanus was sister to all other extant Myospalacinae, but this idea has since been broadly rejected. Morphological data and RAPD-PCRsupport the conclusion that M. epsilanusis distinct from but closely related to M. psilurus . They are united into the psilurus superspecies by Pavlinov and Lissovsky in 2012. On the basis of differences in incisive foramen and molar morphology, A. Yu. Puzachenko and colleagues in 2014 suggested that a distinct subspecies may be present in Zabaykalsky Krai and E Mongolia, but it has not been named. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Zabaykalsky Krai (Russia), E Mongolia, and NE Inner Mongolia (= Nei Mongol) and Heilongjiang (NE China).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 198-223 mm, tail ¢.43 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Khingan Zokoris slightly larger than the Manchurian Zokor ( M. psilurus ). It is straw gray-brown, with slight reddish tones. Nose and forehead are lighter and grayer. Chin and throat are whitish, and additional white patches can be present elsewhere on head. Venter is grayer. Tail is almost naked; hairs are sparse. Young are lighter than adults. Pterygoid fossa is deeper and M® is smaller compared with the Manchurian Zokor. Incisive foramen is shorter on the Khingan Zokor than the Manchurian Zokor. Diploid numberis 2n = 64.

Habitat. River valleys, steppe-woodland, and mixed grassy meadows, preferring steppe and meadows. The Khingan Zokoris not as much of an agricultural pest as many other species of zokor.

Food and Feeding. The Khingan Zokor eats cereal rhizomes, stems, and shoots under natural conditions. Roots and shoots of other plant varieties constitute the remainder of the diet.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Khingan Zokors are most active at dusk and dawn.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List and the 2016 China Red List (under M. psilurus in both). The Khingan Zokor is classified as “declining” in the Red Data Book of Russia (as M. psilurus epsilanus ). It is threatened by habitat degradation as natural landscapes are converted to agriculture. It occurs in protected areas.

Bibliography. Allen (1940), lliashenko & lliashenko (2000), Jiang Zhigang et al. (2016), Lawrence (1991), Musser & Carleton (2005), Ognev (1947), Pavlenko, Tsvirka et al. (2014), Pavlinov & Lissovsky (2012), Puzachenko (2016f), Puzachenko, Pavlenko & Korablev (2009), Puzachenko, Pavlenko, Korablev & Tsvirka (2014), Shar et al. (2008), Tarasov et al. (2011), Thomas (1912a, 1912b), Tsvirka et al. (2011).

Figures

1. Altai Zokor (Myospalax myospalax), 2. Steppe Zokor (Myospalax aspalax), 3. Armand’s Zokor (Mpyospalax armandii), 4. Manchurian Zokor (Myospalax psilurus), 5. Khingan Zokor (Myospalax epsilanus), 6. Fontanier’s Zokor (FEospalax fontaniern), 7. Gansu Zokor (Fospalax cansus), 8. Qinling Zokor (Fospalax rufescens), 9. Plateau Zokor (FEospalax bailey), 10. Rothschild’s Zokor (Eospalax rothschildi), 11. Smith’s Zokor (Eospalax smithu), 12. Chinese Bamboo Rat (Rhizomys sinensis), 13. Hoary Bamboo Rat (Rhizomys pruinosus), 14. Indomalayan Bamboo Rat (Rhizomys sumatrensis), 15. Lesser Bamboo Rat (Cannomys badius), 16. African Root Rat (Tachyoryctes splendens), 17. Giant Root Rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus), 18. Oltenia Blind Mole-rat (Spalax istricus), 19. Mehely’s Blind Mole-rat (Spalax antiquus), 20. Bukovina Blind Mole-rat (Spalax graecus), 21. Podolsk Blind Mole-rat (Spalax zemni), 22. Sandy Blind Mole-rat (Spalax arenarius), 23. Greater Blind Mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus), 24. Giant Blind Mole-rat (Spalax giganteus), 25. Kazakhstan Blind Mole-rat (Spalax uralensis), 26. Lesser Blind Mole-rat (Nannospalax leucodon), 27. Anatolian Blind Mole-rat (Nannospalax xanthodon), 28. Middle East Blind Mole-rat (Nannospalax ehrenbergi)

Distribution. S Zabaykalsky Krai (Russia), E Mongolia, and NE Inner Mongolia (= Nei Mongol) and Heilongjiang (NE China).