The Somali golden mole (''Calcochloris tytonis'') is a
golden mole
Golden moles are small insectivorous burrowing mammals endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They comprise the family Chrysochloridae and as such they are taxonomically distinct from the true moles, family Talpidae, and other mole-like families, all o ...
endemic to
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐; ar, ุงูุตูู
ุงู, aแนฃ-แนขลซmฤl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. In 1964, Dr. Alberto Simonetta of the
University of Florence
The University of Florence (Italian: ''Universitร degli Studi di Firenze'', UniFI) is an Italian public research university located in Florence, Italy. It comprises 12 schools and has around 50,000 students enrolled.
History
The first universi ...
discovered the mole's jaw and ear bone fragments in a barn owl pellet in
Giohar
Jowhar ( so, Jowhar, ar, ุฌููุฑ) is the capital city of Hirshabelle state of Somalia. Jowhar is also the administrative capital of Middle Shabelle region of Somalia.
Along with Baidoa, it used to form the joint administrative capital of ...
, Somalia. The Somali golden mole differs from the other species in its family (
Chrysochloridae
Golden moles are small insectivorous burrowing mammals endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They comprise the family Chrysochloridae and as such they are taxonomically distinct from the true moles, family Talpidae, and other mole-like families, all o ...
) because the shape of its jaw is distinct; although the length of the lower jaw fits within the size range of the skulls of species ''
Amblysomus leucorhinus'' and ''
Amblysomus sclateri
Sclater's golden mole (''Chlorotalpa sclateri'') is a species of mammal in the family Chrysochloridae. It is found in Lesotho and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry and high-altitude shrubland, Mediterranean-typ ...
'', the width of the ascending parts of the jaw is much bigger (2mm) than that of the species it most closely matches (''
Amblysomus leucorhinus'').
[Simonetta, A. M. (1968). A New Golden Mole From Somalia With an Appendix on the Taxonomy of the Family Chrysochloridae (Mammalia, Insectivora). ''Monitore Zoologico Italiano''. Supplemento, 2:1, 27โ55. https://doi.org/10.1080/03749444.1968.10736749]
References
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Endemic fauna of Somalia
Somali golden mole
The Somali golden mole (''Calcochloris tytonis'') is a golden mole endemic to Somalia. In 1964, Dr. Alberto Simonetta of the University of Florence discovered the mole's jaw and ear bone fragments in a barn owl pellet in Giohar, Somalia. The Som ...
Mammals of Somalia
Somali golden mole
The Somali golden mole (''Calcochloris tytonis'') is a golden mole endemic to Somalia. In 1964, Dr. Alberto Simonetta of the University of Florence discovered the mole's jaw and ear bone fragments in a barn owl pellet in Giohar, Somalia. The Som ...
Species known from a single specimen
Hobyo grasslands and shrublands
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