Talpa caeca, Savi, 1822

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Talpidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 52-619 : 611-612

29.

Blind Mole

Talpa caeca

French: Taupe aveugle / German: Blindmaulwurf / Spanish: Topo ciego

Other common names: Mediterranean Mole

Taxonomy. Talpa caeca Savi, 1822 ,

Pisa,

Italy.

Talpa caeca is in subgenus Talpa and eu-

ropaea species group. Closest relative to

1. caeca is 1. romana , and the two species

possibly diverged in the Lower Pleistocene

c.1-4 million years ago. Main divergence in 1. caeca , which 1s dated at c.1-1 million years ago, separates the western lineage (Italy and Switzerland) from the eastern lineage (Balkans). Genetic diversity between these lineagesis close to interspecific differences. Between two and seven subspecies have been recognized, but subspecific differentiation has not been studied throughout the entire distribution and requires reassessment. Monotypic.

Distribution. Disjunct range, W fragment encompasses the Western Alps (Switzerland, NW Italy, and SE France) and the Apennine Mts of Italy as far S as Sila Massif; in the Balkans, E portion covers topographically broken landscape in SE Bosnia and Herzegovina, adjacent Dalmatia (Croatia), Montenegro, Kosovo, W Macedonia, Albania, and W Greece.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 107-124 mm (males) and 103-124 mm (females), tail 27-43 mm (males) and 26-40 mm (females), hindfoot 16-18 mm (males) and 15-5-16-5 mm (females); weight 40-67 g (males) and 38-60 g (females); measurements of individuals from Switzerland. Males are significantly larger than females, by 13-25% depending on the population; size varies geographically and along an elevational gradient. Blind Moles tend to be smaller in the Balkans and where sympatric with the European Mole (71. europaea ), the Roman Mole (7. romana ), and the Balkan Mole (71. stankovici ). Externally, the Blind Mole closely resembles the European Mole but is smaller, and eyes are always covered by skin. Fur is blackish gray, just like the European Mole, but is reportedly shinier. Rhinarium is smaller, 4-3-6-6 mm wide, and 4-2-8-1 mm long. Fourth sacral foramen is frequently open caudally (so-called cecoidal pelvis). Skull is small, delicate, and usually narrower across rostrum than in the European Mole. I' is relatively large (c.50% oftotal length of three incisors), and mesostyle is frequently bifurcated. Dental formulais 13/3, C1/1,P 4/4, M 3/3 (x2) = 44. Oligodonties are rare. The Blind Mole differs from other species of Talpa by having a karyotype of 2n = 36. FN = 70 and FNa = 68 occursItaly and Switzerland, and FN = 68 and FNa = 66 occurs the Balkans.

Habitat. Wide variety of habitats from pastures with skeletal substrate to deep and light soil in mesic forests from sea level (5 m in Dalmatia) up to mountainous pastures at elevations of ¢.2200 m (exceptionally up to 2500 m and more rarely below 1000 m). The Blind Mole prefers deep sandy, sandy loamy, and loamy soils. Northern exposures frequently provide more suitable conditions than drier southern slopes. In floodplains, Blind Moles live in meadows with reeds ( Phragmites , Poaceae ) and rushes ( Juncus , Juncaceae ) and in forests of white poplar ( Populus alba) and willow ( Salix ), both Salicaceae ; alder ( Alnus , Betulaceae ); and manna ash ( Fraxinus ornus, Oleaceae ). On mountain slopes, various forest types provide habitat, e.g. chestnut ( Castanea sativa), oak ( Quercus ), or beech ( Fagus sylvatica), all Fagaceae , and fir ( Abies ), pine ( Pinus ), and spruce ( Picea abies), all Pinaceae . Blind Moles were captured in thickets ofjuniper ( Juniperus , Cupressaceae ), hazel ( Corylus avellana, Betulaceae ), and raspberries ( Rubus , Rosaceae ). Blind Moles avoid pastures with hard and dry soil. Karstic habitats in the western Balkans frequently provide suitable soil conditions only in bottoms of funnel-shaped valleys (“dolines”). The Blind Mole is sympatric with other larger species of moles throughout its distribution, namely with the European Mole in the Alps and western Balkans, the Roman Mole in Italy, and the Balkan Mole in the southern Balkans. Despite such wide sympatry, the Blind Mole only exceptionally coexists with a larger mole species in the same locality. The Blind Mole is usually less common and less abundant than larger species of moles. It is frequently restricted to marginal habitats where it can cope with scarce resources because ofits smallersize.

Food and Feeding. Earthworms were observed in stomach contents of the Blind Mole.

Breeding. Breeding of Blind Moles presumably starts in spring, and a single lactating female was captured at the end of May.

Activity patterns. Activity of Blind Moles is predominantly subterranean, and they only occasionally emerge aboveground. Tunnels are 4.4-5 cm in diameter and usually 10-20 cm deep, but they descend deeper (25-35 cm) in forests with loose soil. Molehills made by Blind Moles are smaller than those of the European Mole and contain 1.3-5 kg of excavated soil (mean 1-9 kg).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Information on social organization of the Blind Mole is contradictory. Some authors suggest that it is solitary and territorial. In contrast, up to 3-6 individuals of both sexes and different ages were captured inside the same burrow system.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Amori, Contoli & Nappi (2008), Bannikova, Zemlemerova, Colangelo et al. (2015), Bego et al. (2008), Colangelo et al. (2010), Grulich (1979a, 1979b), Krystufek (1994, 1999a), Niethammer (1990d), Suchentrunk et al. (1995), Stone (1995a), Tvrtkovi¢ (1999).

Figures

22. Altai Mole (Talpa altaica), 23. Pere David’s Mole (Talpa davidiana), 24. Talysch Mole (Talpa talyschensis), 25. Ognev’s Mole (Talpa ognevi), 26. Caucasian Mole (Talpa caucasica), 27. Levant Mole (Talpa levantis), 28. Balkan Mole (Talpa stankovici), 29. Blind Mole (Talpa caeca), 30. Roman Mole (Talpa romana), 31. Iberian Mole (Talpa occidentalis), 32. European Mole (Talpa europaea), 33. Aquitanian Mole (Talpa aquitania), 34. Japanese Mountain Mole (Oreoscaptor mizura), 35. Ussuri Mole (Mogera robusta), 36. Large Japanese Mole (Mogera wogura), 37. Small Japanese Mole (Mogera imaizumii), 38. Sado Mole (Mogera tokudae), 39. Echigo Mole (Mogera etigo), 40. Senkaku Mole (Mogera uchidai), 41. Insular Mole (Mogera insularis), 42. Kano’s Mole (Mogera kanoana), 43. La Touche’s Mole (Mogera latoucher), 44. Himalayan Mole (Ewroscaptor micrurus), 45. Greater Chinese Mole (Euroscaptor grandis), 46. Long-nosed Mole (Euroscaptor longurostris), 47. Kloss’s Mole (Euroscaptor klosst), 48. Kuznetsov’s Mole (Euroscaptor kuznetsovi), 49. Orlov’s Mole (Euroscaptor orlovi), 50. Vietnamese Mole (Euroscaptor subanura), 51. Small-toothed Mole (Euroscaptor parvidens), 52. Malaysian Mole (Euroscaptor malayanus), 53. White-tailed Mole (Parascaptor lewcurus), 54. Short-faced Mole (Scaptochirus moschatus)

Distribution. Disjunct range, W fragment encompasses the Western Alps (Switzerland, NW Italy, and SE France) and the Apennine Mts of Italy as far S as Sila Massif; in the Balkans, E portion covers topographically broken landscape in SE Bosnia and Herzegovina, adjacent Dalmatia (Croatia), Montenegro, Kosovo, W Macedonia, Albania, and W Greece.