Summary

This is a species of blind mole-rat, a group of burrowing rodents found across Europe and the Middle East.

This specimen came from Russia. It was registered in 1898 but may have been collected some years before this.

This group of Mole-rats are, as their name suggests, blind. They do have eyes but they are very small and are covered by a thin layer of skin. They use their large front teeth to dig their burrows and eat the roots of plants. They are quite common and are considered a pest in some parts of their range.

Specimen Details

  • Taxon Name

    Spalax microphthalmus

  • Preferred Common name

    Greater Mole Rat

  • Other Common Names

    Greater Blind Mole Rat

  • Date Identified

    13/12/2017

  • Identified By

    Laura E. Cook - Museums Victoria

  • Number Of Specimens

    1

  • Sex

    Unknown

  • Specimen Nature

    Nature: Mount, Form: Dry

  • Collected By

    Unknown

  • Category

    Natural Sciences

  • Scientific Group

    Vertebrate Zoology

  • Discipline

    Mammalogy

  • Collecting Areas

    Mammalogy

  • Type of Item

    Specimen

Taxonomy

Geospatial Information