Euroscaptor

The South East Asian moles ( Euroscaptor ) is a mammalian genus from the family of moles ( Talpidae ). The genus includes six species that live in the eastern and southeastern Asia.

Features

Southeast Asian moles have the typical physique of authentics moles. Your body is cylindrical, pointed snout. The pink forelimbs are modified into grave tools and compared to body size, the greatest of all moles. The dense coat is usually dark brown in color. Achieve these animals, if known, a body length 10-16 cm and a tail length of 0.7 to 2.5 centimeters. The tail is covered with short and sparse.

The animals have a bite, both in the upper and lower jaw of three incisors ( incisors ), a canine ( canine ), four Vorbackenzähne ( Praemolares ) and three molars ( Molar ) in one half of the jaw is. Overall, the animals have teeth corresponding to 44 and thus differ from other Asian moles. The dentition is characterized by the small incisors, the enlarged canines and also enlarged the last premolar.

Dissemination

The species of the genus are widespread in East and Southeast Asia, where individual species can have very small distribution areas or are detected only by individual locations. The most widespread is Euroscaptor longirostris, which occurs in large parts of southern China. From China, the area of ​​distribution of individual species, especially of Euroscaptor ThomasHL enough about Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, to the Malay Peninsula. Euroscaptor micrura lives in the eastern Himalayan region Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east in India.

Way of life

Little is known about the habits of these animals, but it should match the rest of the authentics moles. Thus, they live mostly underground, where they build tunnel systems. Their diet consists of worms, insects and other small animals.

System

The genus includes six species that were formerly classified in the genus Talpa, but are now managed in a separate genus due to differences in the structure of teeth and pelvis. You are likely to be closely related to the white-tailed Mole ( Parascaptor leucura ) and Fast Face Mole ( Scaptochirus moschatus ), while also living in the area of ​​distribution East Asian moles ( Mogera ) phylogenetically somewhat further away from them.

According to Wilson & Reeder 2005, the following six types are distinguished:

• Euroscaptor grandis lives in southern China (Sichuan, Yunnan )
• Euroscaptor Defiant is in hilly forest areas in Southeast Asia ( from Sichuan to Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, to the Malay Peninsula ) spread.
• Euroscaptor longirostris inhabited large part of southern China (Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Fujian).
• Euroscaptor micrura lives in the eastern Himalayan region ( Nepal and Assam into southern China).
• Euroscaptor mizura inhabited mountainous areas on the Japanese island of Honshu.
• Euroscaptor parvidens occurs only in northern Vietnam and southern Yunnan.

In 2008 a new species was described with Euroscaptor malayana, which was previously considered as a population of Euroscaptor micrura in Malaysia. Another new description was in 2012 with Euroscaptor subanura from the north of Vietnam.