Common mole rat: description of life, photos, videos. Common mole rat

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08.06.2017

Information about these underground inhabitants is often contradictory, since their way of life is not fully understood and has many blank spots. The most incredible rumors and “heartbreaking” stories are being spread about the benefits and harms of these funny animals, especially among summer residents, more like fiction and fantasies, since shrews and moles are blamed for all imaginable and unimaginable misadventures of gardeners, blaming almost all of the poor animals “ dogs."

So, how to distinguish a mole from a shrew, what is the difference between them and in fact, these little animals are so dangerous and harmful. Let's figure it out.

Few people have seen this animal in person, since it lives underground. The shrew looks like a mouse, but has a more elongated muzzle with an elongated proboscis. Her fur is soft, fluffy, velvety, gray. The ears on the head are practically absent, and the eyes are very small and blind.

The shrew reaches from eighteen to twenty centimeters in length and has a very long tail. The baby's weight is no more than fifteen grams.

Predatory animals such as foxes, dogs and domestic cats sometimes catch and strangle shrews, mistaking them for mice, but do not eat them, since thanks to the musk gland the animal secretes a strong bad smell, which takes away any appetite from the pursuers. Only some species do not have an aversion to shrews birds of prey, for example, owls and small wild animals like ferrets and weasels, for which the unpleasant spirit emanating from the animal is not a hindrance.

Like all of its close relatives, such as hedgehogs and moles, the shrew belongs to the order of insectivores and, like most rodents, lives in burrows, feeding mainly on animal food. Scouring the ground in search of food and using passages left by mice and other rodents, shrews devour insects, worms, larvae, and other small animals.

Since the shrew has a powerful metabolism and cannot go without food for a long time (no more than seven to nine hours at a time), it has to constantly get food and eat more food during the day than it weighs.

The most common are the two types of shrews:

· Shrews (lat. Crocidura)

· Shrews (lat. Sorex)

As the names of the animals suggest, some have white tips of their teeth, while others have white brown. In addition, shrews are usually much smaller in size.

Since the shrew is a predator, it is beneficial by destroying the larvae of harmful insects living underground. In addition, these animals excellently loosen the soil, saturating it with oxygen and thus aerating the soil.

Mole

Mole ( lat. Talpa europaea) is a close relative of the shrew. It has powerful front paws, well adapted for digging the ground, a muzzle with a maneuverable trunk and a short tail. The animal reaches twenty centimeters in length.

Like the shrew, the mole is an underground dweller, building an intricate system of passages, and appears on the surface only in an emergency. The mole throws out all the excess earth that is formed during the construction of passages. These earth piles in the form of small tubercles are popularly called molehills and are a clear sign that a mole has settled in this area.

It should be noted that the mole does not inhabit vegetable gardens and personal plots, but can live in the garden if the soil is sufficiently moist.

Like the shrew, the mole is a predatory animal, large quantities consuming earthworms and earthworms, actively feeding on the larvae of beetles, butterflies, beetles and other harmful insects, thereby bringing invaluable help to gardeners and summer residents.

Mole rat

Well, finally, we got to the true pest, since it is the mole rat that is the threat of vegetable gardens and summer cottages, rampaging and outrageous to the fullest.

For mole rats, the animal food that its relatives feed on is strictly contraindicated.

Like all of the above-mentioned “relatives” of the mole rat, it diligently digs passages and holes and leads an exclusively underground lifestyle, leaving its shelter only once in its life - at the moment when adolescence leaves his father's house to begin an independent adult life.

Like a mole, a mole rat can be detected on a site by the mounds formed on the surface, resembling small earthen slides.

In addition to the common mole rat, there are several other species of this rodent: “ sandy», « Pontic», « Bukovinian" And " Podolsk", and all these species (with the exception of the common one) are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the habitat of the common mole rat is limited only to the left bank of Ukraine, since, apparently, the Dnieper River is an insurmountable barrier for the animal.

The mole rat, unlike its fellows, is a herbivore and feeds on underground parts of plants. Into the wild natural conditions The pest consumes mainly bulbous crops, acorns and eats up seedlings of oaks, maples, and other deciduous trees, and when it gets into the garden, it becomes a real disaster, since it destroys root crops, bulbs and tubers of cultivated plants.

As stated above, this type rodents, due to their secretive habitat, are still poorly studied and keep many secrets.

In appearance, the mole rat has a rather blocky body, resembling a voluminous cylinder up to twenty-five centimeters in length. The rodent's head has a flattened shape. The main digging tool of the mole rat is the huge sharp incisors sticking out. In place of the eyes there is a wide fold of skin, completely covered with bristles. The animal's skin is yellowish-brown in color. It is noteworthy that the organs of touch in the mole rat are individual hard hairs protruding from the fur, thanks to the sensitivity of which the animal receives information from the outside.

An interesting fact is that the fleas living on the animal have also been successfully assimilated and, like their owner, are completely blind.

It is a well-known fact that the mole rat creates a significant supply of food, storing it for a long time. winter period. For example, eighteen (!) kilograms of potatoes were found in the pantry of one prudent and hardworking animal. However, scientists have determined that daily norm consumption of plant food in a mole rat is equal to its own weight(and this is about half a kilogram of weight), that is, with such a rate of consumption, these products are clearly not enough for the whole winter. It is possible that during the dry winter period the animal falls into a state of suspended animation, causing the metabolic process to slow down, and the mole rat feeds only from time to time.

The main habitat of the mole rat is located at approximately a depth of ten to twenty-five centimeters and the burrows, as a rule, are located in the soil layer in two tiers. In the upper tier the animal feeds (since its main food supply is located at this depth), and in the lower tier the mole rat builds nests, creates its own pantries and establishes latrines. It is noteworthy that the lower “floors” can go to a depth of up to four (!) meters, but generally do not exceed eighty centimeters.

While building its tunnels, the animal loses a lot of energy, so it has adapted to overcome obstacles and heavy areas of the ground, using the technique of creating small earthquakes, for which it makes head blows and then evaluates the reflection of seismic waves. This method allows the mole rat to break through burrows with less labor, since it was calculated that the total length of the burrows of one animal can reach three hundred and sixty (!) meters in length.

The method of tapping the head on the ceiling allows individuals of different sexes to mating season communicate with each other. The mole rat is essentially a hermit, but in March it begins to look for a mate, and already in April, offspring appear in the newly-minted family, consisting of two or more (up to six) cubs, which the mother feeds with milk.

Pest control methods

Pest control methods can be divided into two main groups:

· Deterrent measures

· Extermination measures

It has long been noted that moles and mole rats do not like the strong odors of some plants, and in particular they do not accept the pungent scent of mint and wormwood. The imperial hazel grouse also repels these rodents well, the bulb of which emits a strong smell that repels the animals.

Practice has proven that if several rows of parsnips are planted in a rodent’s habitat (you need to find a plant variety that has a long root), the mole rat will leave this area. Black elderberry and medicinal black root repel pests well.

There are also different types of repellers that make sounds and produce vibrations. For this purpose, on a personal plot, it is necessary to drive wooden stakes into the ground, into which a regular impeller is inserted on top. When the wind blows, the impeller rotates and creates a hum and vibration, which mole rats clearly do not like. For the same purpose, specially cut tin cans of beer or cola can be placed on wooden pegs, which, when rotated, create a similar effect.

Some gardeners and gardeners bury a metal mesh (chain-link) around the perimeter of the site and thus protect themselves from uninvited guests. The only difficulty is that you have to bury the net quite deeply (up to a meter deep), taking into account the depth of possible holes in the lower tier.

But most effective method Pest control means its physical extermination. For this purpose, either chemical or mechanical means are used.

The chemical method of control is the simplest, but it is fraught with serious consequences, since it the strongest poisons, which belong to the group of phosphites (the poison has a negative effect on all warm-blooded organisms), both domestic animals and even people can be affected. Therefore, before using chemistry, it is necessary to try methods that are safer and less harmful to the environment, because the use of poisons can ultimately result in tragedy.

The mole rat, as a rule, leads a hidden and solitary lifestyle, therefore, having driven or exterminated the animal from the site, you can finally take a deep breath.

Fauna is rich various types animals that are similar to each other in a number of characteristics. But there is absolutely different representatives families that are very often confused. These include the mole and the mole rat. Both animals lead an underground lifestyle and have some similarities in appearance. But the difference between a mole rat and a mole is obvious - they belong to different squads animals. The mole and mole rat lead a life hidden from prying eyes and are rarely discovered. Therefore, during their infrequent appearance on the surface of the earth, people do not manage to look at them carefully. A quick glance at these animals allows you to see very similar features. This is the reason why they are constantly confused.

Interspecific differences

The main difference between the two animals is interspecific. belongs to the group of insectivores and is a predator. The length of its body rarely exceeds 20 cm. The streamlined shape of the body allows it to quickly move through narrow tunnels. The mole rat spends his entire adult life searching for food. includes the following insects:

• earthworms and earthworms;
• larvae, beetles;
• larvae and other insects.

The activities of mole rats in the garden or garden have more serious consequences for humans:

• damaged lawns and flower beds;
• damaged roots of plants and garden trees;
• destruction of root crops (potatoes, beets, carrots);
• damage to bulbs of cultivated plants.

Such a detrimental effect on plantings leads to a significant reduction in yield. Land owners have every reason to do so at any cost. The general negative attitude towards burrowing animals may be the reason why they are often confused.

Common mole rat completely lacking vision, instead it has tactile hairs, a well-developed sense of smell and hearing. This animal is quite enough for normal life, during which he almost never sees sunlight. For many land owners, the mole rat has become a real punishment, because it is capable of digging up the entire planting area and even affecting the stability of the buildings located there.

Few people have seen common mole rats in person due to their lifestyle. They rarely come to the surface, and their activity increases with the onset of darkness. So many people have to get some idea of ​​the size and lifestyle of the animal only from the traces it leaves. To help those who want to know how the common mole rat lives and looks, here are photos and stories from biologists.

Description of the common mole rat

The maximum length of these rodents reaches 32 cm, and their weight is 700 g. They have an elongated body in the shape of a cylinder, a short neck, paws and tail, and a head flattened at the top. The animals' ears are barely noticeable, and their eyes are hidden under the skin and completely atrophied. The color of different individuals may have some differences.

The short, soft fur of mole rats usually looks like a mixture of brown, gray and brown shades in varying proportions, sometimes with light spots on the head and body. The rodent is usually colored black or When you first meet a mole rat, the upper and lower incisors that are pushed far forward are striking.

Where do common mole rats live?

For permanent habitat, the common mole rat usually chooses a steppe or forest-steppe. He likes to settle near beams, along roads dividing fields, and forest roads. It can be found in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. In the northern part of its range, the common mole rat is considered rare, although it is the most common species of its genus, which also includes sandy, giant, Bukovinian and Podolsk mole rats.

IN at the moment The conservation of the species' numbers is threatened by land plowing, measures to improve the properties of the land and plant protection. However, it cannot be said that this species is on the verge of extinction. The relevant organizations are concerned only about the conservation of populations in some northern and southern zones, where the common mole rat lives. The Red Book of the International Union for Conservation has it in its lists. In view of this, catching animals in certain areas is prohibited, and human activities in their indigenous habitats are limited.

How do common mole rats live?

An ordinary mole rat, briefly speaking, spends its entire life, which is an average of 2.5-4 years, underground, digging complex systems tunnels and obtains food. Most of all, the animal loves the roots, tubers and bulbs of plants, but it can also feast on stems and leaves. About 10 kg of food supplies must be prepared for the mole rat for the winter. At this time of year, its vital activity noticeably decreases, but the rodent does not hibernate.

The optimal number of common mole rats is 3 individuals per hectare, but this number can reach up to 20. With the help of sharp incisors and paws, the animals dig through a branched two-tier system of burrows. The upper tier lies at a depth of 20-25 cm, and the lower one, where the mole rat forms galleries for nesting and storing food supplies, is at a depth of 3-4 m. The external holes are not permanent, but are formed only in order to bring dug up earth to the surface .

How the animal reproduces

The social structure of common mole rats is family groups, which includes one male and one or two females. If there are two females, they take turns giving birth every other year. Mating occurs in the spring, and a brood of 2-3 cubs is born from February to May. Half of the males live separately and do not produce offspring.

The dispersal of young animals occurs over a distance of tens or hundreds of meters. Females do this in the first year of life, climbing to the surface, which explains their high mortality rate. Most often they are the object of hunting by birds of prey and foxes. Males separate from their mother a year later, without leaving the bowels of the earth. The main underground enemy of common mole rats is the steppe polecat.

Animal pest

Branched underground labyrinths are perfect for the life of mole rats, but can cause anxiety for humans. If a garden or personal plot becomes the habitat of this rodent, you can say goodbye to the lion's share of the harvest. Most likely, the animal will like carrots, potatoes and onions. He may also like onion flowers, legumes, corn and young trees.

Endless piles of dug up earth, subsidence of the soil, sudden disappearance of planted crops and even small trees - this is what people observe when a common mole rat settles on their plot of land. The description of his sabotage can be continued for a long time, and stopping them is an impossible task for many.

How to drive away a mole rat

Only one question arises when a common mole rat appears on a personal plot - how to get rid of the pest? For many, this becomes an overwhelming task. After all, the animal constantly hides in the ground and its presence, creating new mounds and destroying planted plants, only at night.

It is best to try to create conditions so that the animal leaves on its own. land plot. A lot of ways have been invented for this, but none of them guarantees that the animal will escape forever. But it’s still worth making every effort to get rid of the mole rat without shedding its blood.

One commonly used method is to flood its tunnel with water. But this may require too much water, since the animal’s underground passages are very branchy. But if the soil quickly absorbs moisture, this method is completely useless. Some try to smoke out their four-legged neighbor using smoke, pouring kerosene or fetid mixtures into the hole. Another way is to create constant noise in the area where it lives, which the common mole rat cannot tolerate. As an option, you can use an ultrasonic repeller.

Radical ways to get rid of mole rats

When it is not possible to drive away a mole rat, some resort to a more radical measure - murder. To do this, you can watch for the animal by opening one of its passages. He does not like drafts, so he will definitely want to cover the hole with earth. As soon as he gets close, it will be possible to destroy him.

Another way is to make a hole in the hole and place a trap in it so that the mole rat falls into it on the way to the open opening. It is important that the trap does not have a human smell, for which it is worth rubbing it with potatoes or earth. You can use poison to kill rodents. But if there is something to eat on the site, the rodent may not covet the poisoned food.

The common mole rat is a rodent that few people have seen alive. Its underground life with nocturnal activity means that few people know of its existence. Many would prefer never to know about the existence of such underground dweller, instead of seeing how it destroys the crops growing on the site.

Common mole rat lives in the territory of Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, in the European part of Russia to the north approximately to a line passing through Rivne - Kyiv - Chernigov - Tula - Penza - Ulyanovsk, east to the Volga and south to the foot of the Greater Caucasus and the Perekop Isthmus.

The back of the head, back and sides of an adult common mole rat are characterized by a general pale-gray-brownish tone. The base of the hair is mouse-gray. When wearing out the ends of hair having the color described above, gray tones predominate in the color of the fur. The front of the head and cheeks are lighter than the color of the back. Sometimes a light, yellowish-tinged spot is observed in the forehead area. Short vibrissae are whitish-fawn, long whiskers are whitish-yellowish. The ventral side in the throat, chest and front of the abdomen is mousy gray; in the middle and rear parts - pale-brown. The length of winter fur is up to 14 mm, summer fur - 10-11 mm. In young individuals, the coloration is dominated by gray tones with a faint fawn tint at the ends of the hair. The ventral side is intensely gray. The throat and chest are intensely gray. Belly hair with an admixture of pale-brownish shades. In many specimens there were also irregular shape white spots on the chest and back of the belly. Occasionally, the phenomenon of complete albinism occurs in the common mole rat.

Materials on molt of mole rats are extremely incomplete. It is only known that in the common mole rat, the change from thick winter fur to thinner summer fur occurs in May-June, and autumn molting occurs in September (Ognev, 1947).

The common mole rat is a characteristic inhabitant of the lowland steppes and forest-steppe east of the river. Dnieper. In Western Ciscaucasia it reaches the foothills. It settles mainly on the slopes of ravines and other low areas of relief with the most fertile soil of the chernozem type and abundant herbaceous vegetation; less common on sandy soils ah and cultivated lands (noted on crops of perennial grasses, rye, oats, corn and other field crops, in vegetable gardens, melons, in the field protection zone forest plantations). Individual burrows were found even in the center of forests and populated areas. Avoids clayey and very loose sandy soils subject to drying out, as well as heavily moist floodplain areas. N. M. Dukelskaya (1932) gives the following characteristics of sites typical for the common mole rat within the Petrovsky region, Saratov region.

Significant numbers of the common mole rat were noted by S.I. Ognev (1947) in the steppes of the Voronezh region, where the most numerous traces of its burrowing activity were concentrated on the slopes of ravines and ravines, along the outskirts of forests and occasionally in the depths of forests. Within the Khrenovskaya steppe, settlements of mole rats are noted on sandy and sandy loam ridges located on the edges of the Khrenovsky forest, overgrown with savory, wormwood, hare cabbage and feather grass. Under conditions similar to those described above, the common mole rat lives in the left-bank steppe and forest-steppe of the Ukrainian SSR (Reshetnik, 1941). In the Kuban steppes, the most characteristic habitats of this species, according to L. B. Boehme (1931), are areas of virgin lands and fallow lands on chernozem soils with abundant plant cover of perennials. Sometimes he switches to sowing predominantly perennial grasses. Traces of digging activity in the form of heaps of earth are also found in melon fields and spring crops and only occasionally in winter crop fields. Finally, in the conditions of the foothills of Western and Central Ciscaucasia, according to K.N. Rossikov (cited from: Ognev, 1947), it inhabits open and bush-covered slopes of moderately moist ravines with chernozem soil. Avoids clay and sandy places subject to severe drying out. On the plateaus it is found in significant quantities in the valleys of the river. Malki and Baksana, where it lives in meadows, clearings, gardens and vegetable gardens, in sparse thickets of thorns, plum trees, barberries and hawthorns in places where, again, black soil predominates over sandy and clayey soils. Information on population density in various biotopes is extremely scarce. It is only known that in the Kharkov region the approximate number of the common mole rat can reach 10 individuals on virgin slopes of ravines, 5-7 in hayfields and 2 in cultivated fields per 1 hectare (Reshetnik, 1941).

The bases of freshly ejected mounds have rounded outlines. The heaps are made up of individual clods of earth, some of which even retain the shape of columns, the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the passage leading to the outlet through which the earth is pushed. As it dries and is exposed to atmospheric precipitation the heaps take on the appearance of flattened mounds. The size of individual heaps varies from 20 X 20 cm to 230 X 240 cm. Most often, outliers are 50-60 cm in diameter. Small heaps are thrown out in one go, while large ones undergo a number of changes in the process of their formation and are obtained as a result of the merger of several small heaps, in the intervals between which the earth is thrown out over a fairly long period of time. Thus, according to the observations of N. M. Dukelskaya, the formation of a complex heap took place over 39 days. The distance between the heaps is 20–1175 cm (most often 100–200 cm). Largest quantity earth emissions are concentrated in the area where surface feeding passages are located. Deep passages usually do not have any external signs. However, in some cases, large piles of earth, predominantly bedrock, were observed approximately above the nesting chambers, indicating the location of a vertical passage. The discarded soil is not located above the main feeding passage. The dug earth is usually transported through a trap, the length of which can reach 75 cm, ending with an outlet hole. The next portion of removed soil is pushed out through it. In this regard, the direction in the arrangement of the heaps does not coincide with that of the stern passage.

Based on the location of discarded heaps of earth, N. M. Dukelska (1932) divides the burrows of the common mole rat into the following 4 groups.
1. The emissions are located in a straight line with one or two short branches. The total length of the area with emissions varies. In some cases, the distance between extreme emissions can reach 169 m, and the number of heaps is 114.
2. The heaps are located radially in relation to one or two centers. In this case, the largest individual burrows can number over 90 heaps, and the total distance between the extreme emissions is about 250 m.
3. The piles are arranged randomly. With this arrangement, 1 burrow can contain over 100 emissions in an area of ​​100 m2.
4. Some of the heaps are located in a straight line, and between them there are groups of randomly scattered emissions. Burrows of this type usually occupy largest areas. For example, a mole rat released onto an experimental site dug up 284 heaps of soil over an area of ​​approximately 61 hectares over the course of 4 months (from May 9 to September 12).

According to Dukelskaya (1932), obtained as a result of excavations of burrows of this species in the Saratov region, the root tubers of six-petalled meadowsweet, bulbs of imbricated fennel and round onion, roots, leaves and stems of dandelion and common cutter were found in abundance in the storerooms, roots and stems of common chicory, roots and leaves of mountain clover, leaves and stems of alpine clover, ranunculus multiflora and forest forget-me-not, leaves of autumn kulbab and femur and, finally, shoots of field bindweed. Among the plants listed above, six-petalled meadowsweet dominated. Sprouted acorns were found in burrows close to the forest and in storerooms. The latter were sometimes found in significant quantities. Thus, in one of the holes excavated in May, out of 916 g of the total weight of the common mole rat's reserves, 613 g were oak acorns. E. G. Reshetnik (1941) provides the following list of food plants obtained during excavations of the burrows of the common mole rat in the conditions of the left-bank steppe and forest-steppe of the Ukrainian SSR: whorled sage, short-nosed salsify, Ukrainian salsify, common chicory, dandelion, tuber-bearing chin, six-petalled meadowsweet, scabiosa prominent , pearl cornflower, carrot, field eryngium, bulbous butum, dried annual flower, straight kozel, angustifolia yarrow, seguera, hedgehog licorice, wheatgrass, tuber-bearing cornflower, Marshall's corydalis, forest tulip, striped saffron, common cutter, clover. In forested areas and in the zone of field protection and park afforestation, the roots of tree species, as well as sprouted acorns, may predominate in the reserves. Thus, according to Silantiev (cited from: Ognev, 1947), in the storehouses of the common mole rat that lived in the territory of the Veliko-Anadolsky forestry, Donetsk region, the roots of seedlings and, to a lesser extent, acorns predominated. In parkland conditions within the city of Kharkov, when excavating a hole, roots of young mulberry, oak and white acacia seedlings were found in abundance (Reshetnik, 1941). The most common garden crops in stock are potatoes, carrots and beets. Less common were corn, onions, beans and cucumbers. The total weight of stored plant mass ranges from 8 to 14 kg. The distribution of supplies among storerooms is uneven. Total quantity feed increases as the depth at which the pantry is located increases. The storage of feed occurs mainly in summer months and early autumn period. In addition to plant remains, insect remains were occasionally found when analyzing stomach contents. Finally, bones and fur of mouse-like rodents and the fur of mole rats themselves were very rarely found (Varabash-Nikiforov, 1928; Reshetnik, 1941).

There is very little information about the reproduction of the common mole rat. According to N.M. Dukelskaya (1932), out of 11 females of this species, caught at the end of April in the Petrovsky region. Saratov region, there was not a single pregnant woman and only 4 specimens had retracted nipples and developed mammary glands. This appears to indicate the end of lactation. Of the 15 females captured by E. G. Reshetnik (1941) in the Barvinkovsky district of the Kharkov region in the first half of April, 7 turned out to be lactating. Moreover, 4 of them were caught along with young animals. All this, apparently, indicates the appearance of young in March and the end of lactation by the end of April. In May and early June, their intensive settlement is already observed (Dukelskaya, 1932; Reshetnik, 1941). Very close breeding times were indicated by K. G. Rossikov (1887) for the common mole rat living in the flat part of Western Ciscaucasia. However, in the foothills he caught a pregnant female in early June. According to Ognev (1947), this fact may indicate a delay in the timing of reproduction in the foothills of Western Ciscaucasia. Most researchers are inclined to believe that the common mole rat breeds once a year and produces 2-6 cubs in a litter.

Diagnosis. The dimensions are on average similar to those of the sand mole rat (body length 197-232-290 mm; foot length 23.0-26.3-30.0 mm; condylobasal length of the skull 37.2-49.8-58.4 mm; length of the upper row, permanent molars 7.3-8.2-9.0 mm ; length of the lower row of permanent molars is 6.8–7.6–8.4 mm). The rostral part of the skull gradually narrows towards the front, wedge-shaped. The posterior width of the nasal bones is greater than that of each of the premaxillary bones, and the latter, in turn, is less than half the anterior joint width of the nasale or approximately equal to it. In addition, the anterior width of the nasal bones is approximately twice or more greater than their posterior width (in all cases measured at the level of the frontal-premaxillary sutures). The frontonasal and frontal-premaxillary sutures are straight, often slightly stepped due to the extension of the ends of the nasale back beyond the line of the frontal-premaxillary sutures. The notch between the nasal bones in the area of ​​the frontonasal suture is absent or slightly marked, and therefore the posterior ends of the nasale are blunted. The length of the nasal bones exceeds the combined length of the parietal and frontal bones. The anterior outer edges of the zygomatic arches are almost not bent downwards. The masseter area is shortened, with a poorly developed anterior ridge; its length is approximately equal to the distance between the anterior ridge of the latter and the suture of the premaxillary and maxillary bones. The outer wall of the infraorbital process is narrow; its smallest width is less than the length of the anterior permanent molar. The alveolar tubercles in adult and old specimens are barely outlined, distant from leading edge alveoli M1 at a distance exceeding the length of this tooth. The auditory opening is small; its largest diameter is in most cases smaller, less often it approximately coincides with the length of M1. The alveolar process of the lower jaw is significantly higher in height than the articular process (in adults and old specimens). The coronoid process is high. The coronary alveolar notch is slightly stepped. The locked opening of the pelvic bone is large; its length approximately coincides with that of the acetabulum.

Description.Rostral part of the skull not widened, gradually narrows in the forward direction. Its width at the level of the anterior edges of the infraorbital foramina always exceeds that in the middle. The joint width of the nasal bones posteriorly is always greater than the width of the premaxilla, and the latter, in turn, is inferior to or approximately equal to half the anterior joint width of the nasale. In addition, the nasal bones are strongly narrowed in the posterior region; the joint width of the nasale in front is twice or more than the width in the back. The notch in the area of ​​the frontonasal suture is absent or slightly marked, and therefore the posterior ends of the nasal bones are blunted and do not form the forked bifurcation characteristic of S. graecus. It should also be noted that the nasal bones of the common mole rat are, on average, relatively longer than those of the giant mole rat and, apparently, those of the sand mole rat. The ratio of their length to that of a number of permanent molars is 231.0–259.5–306.0 in adult and old specimens and 205.0–220.0–231.0 in young and subadult specimens. In addition, the nasale in front, on average, appears to be relatively wider than that of the giant mole rat; the ratio of their combined width to length M1-M3 is 84.5-96.4-121.0 in adults and old and 77.1-82.1-87.0 in young and subadults. The length of the nasal bones, as a rule, exceeds the combined length of the frontal and parietal bones; the value of the corresponding ratio is 95.0-106.5-120.0 for adults and old and 94.2-101.9-106.7 for young and sub-adult specimens. The structural features of the frontonasal and frontomaxillary sutures are noted in the diagnosis. The nasal opening is relatively narrow, although on average it appears to be wider than that of the giant mole rat; the ratio of its width to the length of the row of permanent molars is 70.8–88.0–101.0 for adult and old specimens, 70.8–77.2–80.7 for young and subadult specimens. The postorbital narrowing is less pronounced than in mole rats from the giganteus group; the ratio of the postorbital width to the length of the series of permanent molars is 77.9–94.2–114.0 for adults and old, 166.0–176.0–195.0 for young and subadults. The frontoparietal section is shortened; the ratio of the combined length of the frontal and parietal bones to the length of M1-M3 is, respectively, 218.0-233.5-302.0 and 209.0-218.0-227.0.

Parietal bones relatively long, greatly expanded; the ratio of the length and width of each of them to the length of a number of permanent molars is respectively 107.0-130.0-156.0 and 45.3-68.4-92.9 in adults and old people; 116.0—128.0—134.0 and 71.9—86.2—94.2 in young and subadults; the ratio of the joint width is 80.2—140.0—179.0 in adults and old, 166.0—176.0—195.0 in young and subadults. Their seams form a pentagon, shaped like a regular five-pointed star. The triangular fossa on the frontal bones at the site of the divergence of the sagittal crest is not pronounced. The frontoparietal and frontotemporal sutures form an obtuse angle. The upper diastema and hard palate are elongated. Thus, the value of the diastema-dental index is 204.0-241.0-317.0 in adults and old specimens and 177.0-192.0-214.0 in young and sub-adults, and the ratio of the length of the hard palate to the length of the row of permanent molars is respectively 334.0-378.0-463.0 and 302.0-322.0 -347.0. The structural features of the masseter area and alveolar tuberosities are fully noted in the diagnosis. The hard palate at the level of the anterior permanent molars appears to be generally wider than that of the giant mole rat and narrower than that of the sand mole rat. Its width in adult and old specimens is only slightly greater than the length of M1. The zygomatic arches are thin in front. Their anterior outer edges are almost not deflected downwards. The zygomatic angle is significantly less than 45°. The outer wall of the infraorbital foramen is narrowed; its smallest width is noticeably inferior to the length of the anterior permanent molar.

Self infraorbital foramen high; its height significantly exceeds the length of the upper row of permanent molars. Posteriorly, the zygomatic arches are significantly elevated in relation to the fossa glenoidea. The suture between the zygomatic processes of the jaw bones and the frontale (located at the beginning of the outer wall of the infraorbital foramen) is strongly beveled. The internal crest of fossa glenoidea is more sharply defined than that of the giant mole rat and weaker than that of the sand mole rat. The articular surface itself is expanded. The base of the occipital bone is widened, and therefore the auditory tympani are widely spaced. Thus, the greatest distance between the outer edges of the lateral pharyngeal tubercles significantly exceeds the length of M1-M2. The auditory tympani appear to be relatively wider on average than those of giganteus. The ratio of their width to the length of the row of permanent molars is 92.8–101.5–116.0. The structural features of the auditory opening are noted in the diagnosis. The occipital region of the skull appears, on average, to be relatively higher than that of all living members of the genus; the ratio of the height of the occipital bone, measured from the upper edge of the foramen magnum, to the greatest width of the occiput is 52.5-55.0-66.1.

Upper incisors relatively narrow (for representatives of the genus); ratio of width to anteroposterior diameter; 104.4—112.0—120.8. Their anterior surface is flattened.

M1(length 2.4-2.7-3.2 mm; width 2.1-2.5-3.0 mm; ratio of width to length 80.6-91.1 -107.1) only in very young specimens has a type of structure of the rubbing surface, similar to that of the giant and sand mole rats, and of number of representatives of the microphthalmus group - in S. graecus (the paracone is not fused with the anterior collar, but communicates with the neck connecting the protocone with the hypocone; two incoming loops in the outer row. In the vast majority of cases, in the early and middle stages of abrasion (in young, subadult and partly in adult specimens) the middle outer tubercle is fused with the anterior collar, but is separated from the neck connecting the anterior and posterior internal tubercles, as a result of which the tooth is characterized by the presence of only one incoming loop in the outer row. With age, the anterior-inner part of the outer incoming loop closes. in the mark. The protocone and hypocone are in the vast majority of cases fused, occasionally separated. Traces of the metacone are occasionally preserved in the very early stages of tooth wear. In adults and old people, the rubbing surface is generally similar to that of the giant and sand mole rats. The incoming loops are closed into marks as the teeth are worn in the following sequence: inner part outer, outer and finally inner. There are two roots - a powerful anterior-internal one (formed by the fusion of the anterior external and the only internal roots) and a less developed, free posterior-external one. The anterior internal root shows no traces of bifurcation. Apparently, the posterior external root does not fuse with the anterior internal one either.

M2(length 2.1-2.4-2.8 mm; width 2.1-2.5-2.9 mm; ratio of width to length 92.3-105.3-124.0) in the structure of the rubbing surface is similar to the sand mole rat molars of the same name. However, it appears to be relatively narrower on average. It differs quite clearly from the mole rats of the giganteus group in the almost constant presence of three roots - a powerful internal one and less developed anterior and posterior external ones.

M3(length 1.6-2.1-2.4 mm; width 1.9-2.2-2.6 mm; ratio of width to length 90.5-107.0-120.0), like the previous molar, is generally similar to that of the sand mole rat. However, in the common mole rat, completely separated anterior and posterior internal tubercles seem to be more common, and on the teeth of young teeth there is a more pronounced tendency to complicate the entire rubbing surface due to the formation of additional tubercles and folds. In addition, M3 S. microphthalmus is characterized by a less pronounced degree of reduction of the anterior external root. The latter is almost always not fused with the posterior internal one (the posterior external and unpaired internal roots are fused) and is represented in the alveolus by an independent nest.

Lower jaw with elongated diastema; the value of the diastema-dental index is 98.9–117.0–138.7 in adult and old specimens and 92.0–106.0–125.0 in young and subadult specimens. The horizontal branch is relatively high; the ratio of its height to the length of the lower row of permanent molars is 109.0-129.2-146.4 in adult and old specimens and 92.0-106.0-125.0 in young and sub-adults. The alveolar process, like that of the sand mole rat, is high, and in adults and old people it is significantly higher in height than the articular one. The height of the process on the inner side, starting from the adult state, as a rule, noticeably exceeds the length of the lower row of permanent molars (the value of the corresponding index in the common mole rat is 95.0-114.4-138.6).

Lower incisor on average, apparently, relatively wider than all currently known representatives of the genus; ratio of width to anteroposterior diameter 100.0—109.5—120.7.

M1(length 2.2-2.5-3.0 mm; width 2.1-2.4-2.7 mm; ratio of width to length 79.3-94.5-108.3) differs from the resident native sand mole rat of the same name by the presence in young and sub-adult specimens of an additional anterior incoming loop in the outer row or its traces in the form of a small anterior mark, and also on average, apparently, a less reduced entoconid. In addition, the metaconid at the indicated stages of abrasion is fused with the anterior collar, and through it with the protoconid. In some cases, the neck of the anterior internal tubercle at the junction with the anterior collar bears distinct traces of ligation. The protoconid and hypoconid are fused at all stages of effacement. Since the tooth in young and sub-adult specimens has additional external (almost always) and internal (occasionally) incoming loops, the number of the latter in the outer and inner rows at these stages of wear can vary from one to two. In adult and old specimens, the tooth always has one internal and external incoming loop. The order of closing the incoming loops in the marks is as follows: the front internal and external additional ones in the indicated sequence, the main internal one and, finally, the main external one. The tooth has two roots; the posterior one is more developed than the anterior one.

M2(length 1.9-2.2-2.7 mm; width 2.1-2.5-2.9 mm; ratio of width to length 95.4-110.7-128.5) on average, apparently, relatively wider than in previous species. In terms of the general configuration of the rubbing surface, it is basically similar to the permanent molars of the sand and giant mole rats of the same name. There are two roots; the posterior one is more developed than the anterior one. Sometimes the roots tend to merge.

M3(length 1.9-2.2-2.5 mm; width 1.7-2.2-2.7 mm; ratio of width to length 81.8-101.4-121.0), like the previous molar, in terms of the relative width of the crown and the nature of the structure of the rubbing surface and roots, it is in principle similar to the permanent ones of the same name indigenous sand mole rat.

Measurements. Condylobasal length of the skull is 37.2—50.0—58.4 mm; the main length of the skull is 34.3—46.8—54.2 mm; length of nasal bones 15.8—20.9—25.9 mm; the combined length of the parietal and frontal bones is 15.9—19.9—24.0 mm; length of parietal bones 8.9—10.7—12.8 mm; length of the upper diastema 13.4—19.4—24.7 mm; length of the hard palate 23.0–30.7–37.1 mm; the length of the upper row of permanent molars is 7.0–8.2–9.0 mm; width of the nasal opening 5.3—7.1—8.5 mm; incisal width 7.0—8.7—10.3 mm; the width of the nasal bones in front is 5.4—7.8—9.6 mm; rostral width 9.3–11.6–14.7 mm; postorbital width 6.7–7.9–9.9 mm; width of two parietale 8.7—11.8—15.4 mm; width of the parietal bone along the lambdoid crest 3.9—5.4—6.7 mm; zygomatic width 31.1—39.7—45.9 mm; the greatest width of the occiput is 26.3–33.9–38.8 mm; length of auditory drums 10.7—12.7—14.5 mm; width of auditory tympani 7.4—8.2—9.1 mm; width of the upper incisor 2.2—2.9—3.4 mm; anteroposterior diameter of the upper incisor 2.0—2.6—3.3 mm; height of the nasal opening 2.4—3.0—4.0 mm; condylar length of the lower jaw 24.2—33.0—40.1 mm; angular length of the lower jaw 23.3–32.2–39.8 mm; length of the lower diastema 6.7—8.8—10.4 mm; the length of the lower row of permanent molars is 7.3—7.6—8.4 mm; the height of the horizontal branch at the level of the posterior edge of the alveolus M1 outside is 7.3—9.6—11.2 mm; the thickness of the horizontal branch at the M2 level is 3.5–4.7–6.5 mm; internal height of the alveolar process is 3.7—8.2—11.2 mm; width of the lower incisor 2.1—3.1—3.8 mm; the anterior-posterior diameter of the lower incisor is 1.8-2.9-3.7 mm.

The common mole rat has largely retained similarities with the Pliocene Azov fossil S. minor. This, with a sufficient degree of probability, allows us to consider him as a direct descendant of the latter. Holocene remains from localities associated with mole loess are found everywhere within the species' range. Finds of similar forms are also known from Pleistocene deposits (mole loess).

Literature:
1. Mole rats. Topachevsky V. A. In the series: Fauna of the USSR, Mammals, vol. III, no. 3. 1968. Publishing house "Science", Leningrad. department, L. 1-248.
2. Sokolov V. E. Systematics of mammals (Orders: lagomorphs, rodents). Textbook manual for un-com. M., “Higher. school", 1977.

Mole rats (Spalacidae)- a family of medium-sized rodents with a small number of species (the weight of the largest does not exceed 800-900 g). In the course of evolution, mole rats (Spalax) adapted to an exclusively underground lifestyle in steppe and semi-desert areas with fairly rich vegetation. Among the representatives life form The “root-eater” mole rat is distinguished by the fact that its eyes have completely lost the ability to see. This is the only case of loss of vision in the order of rodents and the second among all mammals (another blind person is the marsupial mole living in Australia).

Mole rats dig long (up to 900 m), branched underground passages in several tiers up to 3-4 m deep. Upper galleries, where the animals live in summer period, serve to collect food (rhizomes, bulbs, tubers). In the lower tier there is a wintering chamber and storerooms with parts of plants carefully laid out and covered with earth. When digging, rodents use powerful incisors, acting like an excavator bucket. The earth is pushed out with a shovel-shaped head. The nose of mole rats is covered with keratinized skin that protects from mechanical damage. In addition, such a nose is convenient for compacting the walls of burrows.

The incisors of mole rats, like those of all rodents, self-sharpen when gnawing, but this is not enough for rootworms: they also sharpen their teeth against each other. The structural features of the lower jaw and muscles allow mole rats to spread their lower incisors and move them back and forth by moving the blade one against the other.

One animal, who lived in captivity for a long time, achieved true skill in sharpening teeth. His home was an ordinary aquarium, the metal frame of which the mole rat learned to use. He stood on his hind legs, rested his upper incisors against the edge of the metal side, and literally gnawed it with his lower incisors. The mole rat used the glass walls of the aquarium to finely polish the sharp edge of its incisors. One can imagine the “grinding of teeth” that accompanied this procedure every time!

The special “sophistication” of sharpening and grinding the incisors of mole rats is due to the fact that it is with their incisors that they dig their extended burrows. This leads to rapid wear of the cutting surfaces and, accordingly, to the need rapid growth the incisors themselves. In captivity, the mole rat is forced to wear down its incisors on its own. If this is not done, then within a few days they will grow to such a size that the animal will not be able to close its mouth.

It is rare to see mole rats due to their secretive lifestyle. Many people mistake them for moles (even in areas where moles do not live), deceived by the appearance of the characteristic cone-shaped soil emissions, reminiscent of moles in shape.

In Russia, mole rats live in the forest-steppe and steppe from the border with Ukraine to the Volga - for example, the common mole rat (Spalax microphtalmus), and they are most numerous in the Kursk, Voronezh and Rostov regions. The largest species of this family is found in Dagestan - the giant mole rat (S. giganteus). In the second half of the 20th century, as a result of the plowing of almost all lands favorable for mole rats, the number of these rodents decreased, and in a number of areas they disappeared completely.