Huetia leucorhina

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

7.

Congo Golden Mole

Huetia leucorhina

French: Taupe-dorée du Congo / German: Kongo-Guldmull / Spanish: Topo dorado del Congo

Taxonomy. Chrysochloris leucorhina Huet, 1885 ,

“[Republic of] Congo sur la cote du golfe de Guinée [= Gulf Coast of Guinea].”

The species leucorhina was previously placed in Amblysomus , Chrysochloris , Chlo- rotalpa, and Calcochloris (subgenus Huetia ), based on various cranial and dental characteristics. Subgenus Huetia was afforded full generic status by R. J. Asher and colleagues in 2010, based on phylogeny derived from combined morphological and molecular characteristics. Subspecies leucorhinanow includes other described taxa such as congicus and luluanus. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution. H.l.leucorhinaHuet,1885—knownfromvariousisolatedlocationsinextremeSEGabon,DRCongo,andNAngola. H. l. cahni E. Schwarz & Mertens, 1922 — S Cameroon, SE Central African Republic, and N Republic of the Congo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 63-126 mm, hindfoot 9-10 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Congo Golden Mole is small, similarin size to the Yellow Golden Mole (C. obtusirostris ). Dorsum is dark brown to dark gray, becoming slightly paler ventrally. Pale, creamy color occurs over muzzle, extending laterally toward ears. Skull is short with broad palate, zygomatic arches lack broad plates sweeping backward, mallei of inner ears are relatively small and unspecialized, and no external bullae are visible. M” are usually present, resembling other cheek teeth; P1 are molariform (tricuspid); and lower molars lack talonids. Foreclaws are very slender, and claw on third digit is largest.

Habitat. Predominantly soft sandy or loamy soils in montane rainforests, forest-savanna mosaics, and lowland equatorial forests. Congo Golden Moles can occur in pastures, cultivated lands, and rural and urban gardens.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but Congo Golden Moles are probably primarily insectivorous.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Congo Golden Moles are terrestrial.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Limited data are available on distributional limits of and threats to the Congo Golden Mole, and there are no data on population densities. Inferred major threats include destruction and exploitation of indigenous forests in the Congo Basin through unsustainable timber logging, commercial plantations (coffee, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber), agriculture, and associated road and rural infrastructure developments. Parts of the northern distribution of the Congo Golden Mole occur in Dja-Odzala-Minkébé Tri-National (TRIDOM) and Dzanga-Sangha Forest Reserve (Cameroon, DR Congo, Central African Republic) and Ngotto Classified Forest in Central African Republic. None of the scattered records in the DR Congo occur in protected areas.

Bibliography. Asher et al. (2010), Bronner (1995a, 2013b), Maree (2015c¢).

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)

Subspecies and Distribution. H.l.leucorhinaHuet,1885—knownfromvariousisolatedlocationsinextremeSEGabon,DRCongo,andNAngola. H. l. cahni E. Schwarz & Mertens, 1922 — S Cameroon, SE Central African Republic, and N Republic of the Congo.