| Bukovina blind mole-rat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Spalacidae |
| Genus: | Spalax |
| Species: | S. graecus |
| Binomial name | |
| Spalax graecus Nehring, 1898 | |
TheBukovina blind mole-rat or (erroneously) theBalkan blind mole-rat (Spalax graecus) is a species ofrodent in the familySpalacidae found inRomania,Moldova, andUkraine.
The specific epithetgraecus, as well as the reference to theBalkans in its former scientific name, both derive from thetype specimen, which was initially thought to have been collected in the vicinity ofAthens,Greece. However, in 1969 this was found to be erroneous, and the type locality was corrected to the vicinity ofChernovtsy, Ukraine.[2]
Formerly, this species was thought to comprise threedisjunctsubspecies: the type subspeciesgraecus, inhabiting northern Romania, Moldova, and southwestern Ukraine,Mehely's blind mole-rat (subspeciesantiquus), thought to beendemic to central Romania, and the possiblyextinctOltenia blind mole-rat (subspeciesistricus), thought to be endemic to southern Romania. However, a 2013 morphological and phylogenetic analysis foundantiquus andistricus to represent distinct species fromgraecus. TheAmerican Society of Mammalogists andIUCN Red List followed the results of this study.[1][2][3] This leaves S.graecus with a much smaller distribution than it was previously thought to have.[1]
These mole-rats have a long, cylindrical body with no neck and relatively weak limbs. The Bukovina mole rats are blind and do not possess anyexternal ears.[4]
This species is found in a small area of northeasternRomania, southwesternUkraine, and northwesternMoldova. Part of its range roughly coincides with the historical region ofBukovina. It inhabitssteppe, pastures, cultivated fields, and orchards.[1]
This species is thought to be threatened byintensive agriculture, which has been implicated in the decline of the sympatriclesser blind mole-rat (Nannospalax leucodon) in the same region. InTransylvania, subsistence agriculture is still practiced, and thus the population appears stable there, but the addition of Romania to theEuropean Union in the2007 enlargement of the European Union may spur further intensive agriculture within its habitat.[1]
Infrastucture and road-planning may also pose a risk to the species. In 2013, the species was considered the second most vulnerable mammalian species to road-impact incidents in Europe.[5]
