The Aquitanian mole (''Talpa aquitania'') is a species of small burrowing mammal of the family Talpidae. It is found from the southwest of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

to the north of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Closely related to the European mole (''T. europaea''), this species was described in 2017, and it is difficult to distinguish it from it.

Taxonomy

This species was described in 2017 by zoologists

Violaine Nicolas "Violaine" is a single by Cocteau Twins. It was released by Fontana Records in July 1996. It was the second single to be released from the '' Milk & Kisses'' album, and their last single to be released from a non-compilation album. It reached No ...

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and

Jean-Pierre Hugot Jean-Pierre or Jean Pierre may refer to: People * Karine Jean-Pierre b.1977, White House Deputy Press Secretary for President Joe Biden 2021- * Jean-Pierre, Count of Montalivet (1766–1823), French statesman and Peer of France * Eugenia Pierre ( ...

. Its specific epithet, ''aquitania'', means " Aquitaine", a former French region which is part of

New Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by t ...

, where it is most abundant.

Distribution

It ranges from the southwestern region of

to the north of

. It is mainly distributed south and west of the Loire River, with the inverse being true for the European mole; however, this is not a strict barrier, as specimens of both species have been caught on opposite sides of the river from their main distribution, and thus they are likely

sympatric In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sh ...

in some areas.

Description

The Aquitanian mole is very similar to the European mole, a mole with a much wider range. It can be distinguished unambiguously from the European mole and the

Spanish mole The Spanish mole (''Talpa occidentalis'') is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is found in Spain and Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland ...

(''T. occidentalis'') by the combination of the following characters: * the eyelids are fused; * the eyes are completely covered with a membrane, while the European Mole has its eyes open; * its head, body and hind legs are significantly larger in size; * its weight is also heavier; its weight varies from 72 to 106 g, the length of its head and body from 142 to 156 mm, its legs from 20 to 23 mm. In addition, there are differences from these two species: * at the dental level (M2 and M3 molars); * from a genetic point of view (cytochrome b gene).

References

Cited Sources

* (fr) Référence INPN : Talpa aquitania Nicolas, Martínez-Vargas & Hugot, 2017 (consulté le 22 janvier 2020)

Taxonomy

Distribution

Description

References

Cited Sources

Further reading