Tachyoryctes spalacinus Thomas 1909

Tachyoryctes spalacinus Thomas 1909, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 4: 547.

Type Locality: Kenya, Embi (= Embu), plains near base of Mt Kenya, 5400 ft (1646 m).

Vernacular Names: Embi African Mole Rat.

Distribution: Kenya, plains and lower slopes of Mt Kenya (Hollister, 1919).

Conservation: IUCN - Lower Risk (nt).

Discussion: Body size about like T. ruddi, according to Thomas (1909 b), but "Readily recognizable by its sloping occipital plane." This species occurs at the base of Mt Kenya and adjacent plains but is replaced at altitudes above 2600 m by the much larger-bodied T. rex (Hollister, 1919) . Morphological, distributional, and genetic relationships between T. spalacinus and T. ibeanus, which occurs to the south along the western margin of the Athi Plains, need to be evaluated.