Neamblysomus gunningi (Broom, 1908)

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Chrysochloridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 180-203 : 198-199

9.

Gunning’s Golden Mole

Neamblysomus gunningi

French: Taupe-dorée de Gunning / German: Gunning-Goldmull / Spanish: Topo dorado de Gunning

Taxonomy. Chrysochloris gunning: Broom, 1908 ,

“Woodbush Hill, Zoutpansberg [= Soutpansberg district],” Limpopo Prov- ince, South Africa .

The species gunning : was originally placed In the genus Chrysochloris but included in Amblysomus in several subsequent taxonomic revisions. G. N. Bronner in 1995 elevated it to generic rank. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to NE South Africa, highly restricted and fragmented distribution documented from six confirmed sites in far N Drakensberg escarpment, Limpopo Province.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 121-132 mm (males) and 111-128 mm (females), hindfoot 14-18 mm (males) and 13-17 mm (females); weight 62-8 (56-70) g (males) and 51 (39-56) g (females). Gunning’s Golden Mole is medium-sized, resembling the Hottentot Golden Mole ( Amblysomus hottentotus ) and the Highveld Golden Mole (A. septentrionalis ) in shape and appearance but distinguished from these by its gracile claws and consistent presence of M®. Male Gunning’s Golden Moles are somewhat larger and heavier than females. Dorsum varies from dark reddish brown through different hues of brown to black, with distinctive bronze sheen; venter is fawn, with reddish brown and gray underfur. Cheeks and throat are reddish brown, and tip of muzzle is tinged yellow and much paler than upper parts of body. Forefeet are robust, with four digits and distinctive claws. Claw on first digit is short and narrow, claw on second digit is three-quarters the length of claw on longest third digit (12-5-14 mm), and claw on fourth digit is reduced and knob-like. Membrane fuses four digits on hindfeet, and each digit has narrow-curved claw; third claw is significantly longer. Skull is elongate (breadth 63% of greater skull length, GSL), and palate is

narrow (28% of GSL). Talonids on lower molars are absent in adults; rudimentary talonids on M, are sometimes presentin juveniles but become peg-like due to tooth wear. Mallei in middle ears are small and unspecialized. No geographical variation has been recorded for morphological traits. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 30 and FN = 56.

Habitat. [.ow-lying and high-elevation indigenous forests (Mistbelt Forests and Wolkberg Afro-montane Forest Belt) and adjacent montane grasslands (Northeastern Mountain Grassland) in the Savanna Biome of South Africa (southernmost tip of the Zambezian Woodland Biozone). Gunning’s Golden Mole is a forest specialist. It prefers moist sandy or loamy soils along watercourses and near ponds in natural habitat, but its burrow systems can also extend into highly transformed habitats with loose soils, such as timber plantations, cultivated land (e.g. tea fields), pastures (livestock), rural and suburban gardens, and road shoulders. It coexists with Common Mole-rats (Cryptomys hottentotus ) in natural, undisturbed habitat and highly transformed areas, but itis confined to moist and friable soils.

Food and Feeding. Gunning’s Golden Mole is insectivorous and carnivorous, mainly feeding on insects; evidence from stomach contents suggests it also consumes earthworms. Captive individuals willingly eat mealworms (tenebroid larvae), crickets, and young mice.

Breeding. Gravid Gunning’s Golden Moles captured in February, April, and May suggest that seasonal breeding occurs during wet summer months. Females are polyestrous.

Activity patterns. Gunning’s Golden Mole is predominantly nocturnal, but some activity occurs in late afternoon in winter. Foraging activity substantially increases after rain when soils are moist and suitable prey items are plentiful.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Gunning’s Golden Mole constructs extensive burrow systems with shallow subsurface foraging tunnels, also used for dispersal, and deeper tunnels (15-30 cm) used for resting and raising young. Small irregular mounds mark entrances to deeper tunnels. Brief bouts of surface foraging in thick layers of leaflitter occasionally occur at night. Adults are solitary, except when females are raising offspring.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Gunning’s Golden Mole faces threats from commercial forestry plantations and associated road infrastructure, replacing indigenous forests and abutting grasslands, cultivation, housing, and tourism infrastructure development in formerly rural areas around Haenertsburg. These have caused severe habitat destruction, fragmentation, and loss for c¢.40 years and resulted in marked decreases in quality and area of suitable habitat found in three localized areas that comprise the small and fragmented distribution of Gunning’s Golden Mole. Area of occupancy estimated from six confirmed locations is only 96 km? and total extent of occurrence is ¢.1327 km? (minimum polygon). Although small parts ofits distribution are protected in state-owned forest reserves (e.g. De Hoek, New Agatha, and Woodbush), currently implemented protection measures and management are not necessarily cognizant of very specific habitat requirements of Gunning’s Golden Mole. Privatization of state-owned forests renders continued protection in some areas uncertain. Minor threats include predation by domestic pets and persecution by gardeners and landowners. Gunning’s Golden Mole is considered of global and regional conservation concern and ranks among the top 100 mammalian species (number 73) in the EDGE of Existence Program, which aims to conserve the world’s Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered species. It received the highest regional priority score for mammals in the former Transvaal Province (South Africa) based on relative occupancy, endemism, taxonomic distinctiveness, and vulnerability. Gunning’s Golden Mole does not receive any dedicated conservation attention, and knowledge of its ecology,life history traits, and evolutionary relationships remains sparse. Such information is crucial for informing effective development of a conservation management plan.

Bibliography. Bronner (1990, 1995a, 1995b, 2013b), Bronner & Bennett (2005), Driver et al. (2012), Freitag & Van Jaarsveld (1997), Isaac et al. (2007), Maree (2015d), Maree & Bronner (2016a), Martin (2015), Meester et al. (1986), Skinner & Chimimba (2005), Von Maltitz et al. (2003).

Figures

0. Yellow Golden Mole (Calcochloris obtusirostris), 1. Hottentot Golden Mole (Amblysomus hottentotus), 2. Robust Golden Mole (Amblysomus robustus), 3. Highveld Golden Mole (Amblysomus septentrionalis), 4. Marley’s Golden Mole (Amblysomus marleyi), 5. Fynbos Golden Mole (Amblysomus corriae), 7. Congo Golden Mole (Huetia leucorhina), 8. Somali Golden Mole (Huetia tytonis), 9. Gunning’s Golden Mole (Neamblysomus gunningi), 10. Juliana’s Golden Mole (Neamblysomus julianae), 11. Arend’s Golden Mole (Carpitalpa arendsi), 12. Sclater’s Golden Mole (Chlorotalpa sclateri), 13. Duthie’s Golden Mole (Chlorotalpa duthieae), 14. Stuhlmann’s Golden Mole (Chrysochloris stuhlmanni), 15. Cape Golden Mole (Chrysochloris asiatica), 16. Visagie’s Golden Mole (Chrysochloris visagier), 17. Rough-haired Golden Mole (Chrysospalax villosa), 18. Giant Golden Mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani), 19. De Winton’s Golden Mole (Cryptochloris wintoni), 20. Van Zyl's Golden Mole (Cryptochloris zyli), 21. Grant's Golden Mole (Eremitalpa grant)

Distribution. Endemic to NE South Africa, highly restricted and fragmented distribution documented from six confirmed sites in far N Drakensberg escarpment, Limpopo Province.