Nannospalax xanthodon
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Spalacidae
Nannospalax
Nannospalax xanthodon

description: 27.
Anatolian Blind Mole-rat
Nannospalax xanthodon
French: Spalax d’Anatolie / German: Anatolien-Blindmaus / Spanish: Rata topo ciega de Anatolia
Other common names: Anatolian Mole-rat
Taxonomy. Spalax typhlus xanthodon Nordmann, 1840,
Smyrna, Turkey.
Nannospalax xanthodon is included in subgenus Mesospalax. The name nehringi by K. A. Satunin in 1898 is frequently used to represent this species, but xanthodon used by A. von Nordmann in 1840 has priority. Nannospalax xanthodon has been treated as a synonym of N. leucodon, and the two are clearly related, but both forms are themselves composed of multiple species, and recognition of two, if not more, species has been common since V. A. Topachevskii in 1969 characterized differences in their morphology. Like N. leucodon, N. xanthodon represents a superspecies composed of a complex of allopatric forms that are morphologically very similar but clearly represent distinct species. Topachevskii recognized two subspecies, nehringi from eastern Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia, and a western subspecies found in the rest of Asian Turkey, which he listed as cilicicus, but is probably more appropriately the nominate xanthodon. Recent studies have uncovered a number of karyotypes across the distribution of N. xanthodon, and some have argued that each of these warrant species or subspecies recognition, or at least recognition as evolutionary significant units. Genetic diversity among populations of N. xanthodon is higher than what is observed within other species of Nannospalax, and Y. Hadid and colleagues in 2012 concluded that it is paraphyletic with respect to N. leucodon, although with weak support. Specifically, they found several populations with 2n = 60 or 62, including vasvariinamed byJ. Szunyoghy in 1941, as sister to a clade uniting N. leucodon with the remaining populations of N. xanthodon. Populations with 2n = 60 or 62 are spread widely across central Turkey, and several older names are available for forms in this region, but blind mole-rats from at least part of this area will probably warrant recognition as a distinct species. In an RFLP study, T. Kankili¢ and C. Giirpinar in 2014 suggested that N. labaume: may be the appropriate name for this taxon. Their results also suggested the presence of a more westerly distributed N. xanthodon and an eastern N. nehringi whose range essentially corresponds to Topachevskii’s definition of N. [x.] nehringi. In a study of bacular morphology, Kankili¢ and colleagues in 2014 further supported division ofthis species into three species: N. xanthodon, N. nehringi, and N. labaumei. Although geographical boundaries of these probable species are not fully defined and status of some older names such as cilicicus named by L. Méhely in 1909 are notclear, available evidence suggests that superspecies N. xanthodon probably warrants division into at least these three species. Monotypic.
Distribution. Asian Turkey, SW Georgia, NW Armenia, extreme NW Iran, and several E Aegean Is (Lesbos in Greece and Bozcaada and Gokceada in Turkey).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 143-248 mm, no visible external tail; weight 130-522 g. Male Anatolian Blind Mole-rats are larger than females. It is medium-sized, and on most of its body, individual hairs are slate-gray on most of the length, with terminal buff of gray, yellowish, reddish, or brown. Belly hairs are generally simply slate-gray but can range from almost black to whitish orsilver. Bristly keel of lighter yellowish hairs extends from large brownish triangular nose pad about halfway to ear openings. White hairs can line nose pad and lips, and white spots or streaks can be present elsewhere on head. Incisors are extrabuccal and can be white, yellow, or orange. Smaller upper incisors tend to be darker. Kankilic and colleagues in 2014 characterized differences in bacular morphologies across chromosomal races and probable species; mean lengths for individual cytotypes were 4-8-7-8 mm. There are six nipples: 1 pair of pectoral + 2 pairs of inguinal. At least 25 chromosomal forms are known, with diploid numbers of 2n = 36-62. Cytotypes do not appear to overlap geographically.
Habitat. Mediterranean coastal environments, steppe, semi-deserts, and high-elevation pastures and meadows at elevations of 50-2900 m, most commonly 900-1600 m. The Anatolian Blind Mole-rat avoids forest, rocky areas, and swamp and marsh habitat.
Food and Feeding. The Anatolian Blind Mole-rat feeds primarily on underground plant parts, particularly bulbs, but also roots and tubers. Geranium tuberosum (Geraniaceae) has been reported as its most important food item. Individuals eat 22-2-59-4% of their body weight daily. Food is stored in cache chambers in burrows, and quantity varies by season with smallest caches in summer. Mean caches are 741-1556 g, but 10 kg of potatoes, beets, and carrots have been found in a single burrow. Anatolian Blind Mole-rats can damage agricultural crops, but they are not particularly successful in fields with intensive plowing.
Breeding. Female Anatolian Blind Mole-rats have one litter annually. In Armenia, breeding starts in January, and pregnant females have been found until May. Scrotal males are most common in March-April but have been found year-round. In Turkey, reproduction occurs in January-June and peaks in February. Gestation is 26 days, and littersize is 1-6 young, usually 2-3 young. At birth, young are 50-60 mm long and weigh 9-9-5 g. They are weaned at weights of c¢.115 g and leave nests by summer. Breeding individuals have a minimum body mass of 147 g for males and 167 g for females.
Activity patterns. No information.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Burrows of the Anatolian Blind Mole-rat include feeding tunnels, a nest chamber, food caches, and toilets. Feeding passages are 5-40 cm deep, and deeper passages are 80-150 cm. One or two nests are present; they are c.20 x 20 cm and are lined with dry plant material. Nests tend to be beneath largest mounds. Highest densities are 60 ind/ha. Predators include the little owl (Athene noctua), the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), the tawny owl (Strix aluco), and the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca). This species is solitary.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List (as Spalax nehringi) because species boundaries are so poorly understood. Taken as a whole, the Anatolian Blind Mole-ratis relatively common and known from multiple protected areas. Multiple individual species within this superspecies probably warrant conservation concern as distinct entities. Some chromosomal forms, for example, are extremely restricted in geographical distribution. The Anatolian Blind Mole-rate faces threats from large-scale agricultural practices, overgrazing, and habitat fragmentation.
Bibliography. Bukhnikashvili et al. (2008), Hadid et al. (2012), Kankilic & Gurpinar (2014), Kankili¢, Kankilig, Seker & Kivang (2014), Kankilig, Kankilic, S6zen & Colak (2013), Krystufek & Vohralik (2009), Krystufek, Ivanitskaya et al. (2012), Méhely (1909), Musser & Carleton (2005), Németh et al. (2016), von Nordmann (1840), Ognev (1947), Satunin (1898), Szunyoghy (1941), Topachevskii (1969).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Spalacidae, pp. 108-142 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 140-141, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6609100