Spalax uralensis Tiflov and Usov 1939

Spalax uralensis Tiflov and Usov 1939, Vestn. Microbiol. Epidemiol. And Parasitol., 17: 141.

Type Locality: W Kazakhstan, Chingerlauz region (see Pavlinov and Rossolimo, 1987:164).

Vernacular Names: Kazakhstan Blind Mole Rat.

Distribution: Steppes in W Kazakhstan between the Ural and Emba Rivers (Puzachenko, 1993).

Discussion: An allopatric, morphologically close relative of S. giganteus, in which it was once synonymized (Gromov and Erbajeva, 1995; Pavlinov and Rossolimo, 1987; Topachevskii, 1969; Vorontsov et al., 1977 b) until shown to be a separate entity by Puzachenko’s (1993) morphometric analyses. Distribution as summarized by other researchers includes S. giganteus from steppes west of the Caspian Sea (Gromov and Erbajeva, 1995; Topachevskii, 1969; Vorontsov et al., 1977 b).