#scapanus

[mammalianmammals]

Hi, I met this guy crossing the road the other day after heavy rains. Assuming it’s a southern broad-footed mole (Scapanus occultus) as that seems to be the main one we have in the California area. Can you confirm, and any interesting facts to share? I was super excited as I’ve never seen a live wild mole before! Burrowed right into the hillside as soon as it was released on the other side of the road. Thanks!

Yes, I agree, its the only species I know of that lives in your area of California (we talked in DM).

[metalchairz]

Townsend's mole is endangered in Canada. It has a small range that is restricted to the highly populated and developed Lower Mainland.

Townsend’s Moles have poor eyesight, but vision is of little use for locating prey in the underground darkness of their tunnels. Instead they rely on a highly developed sense of touch, particularly the thousands of touch-sensitive structures on their snouts known as Eimer’s organs. Their long jaws are designed for rapid biting and are armed with 44 teeth for cracking hard exoskeletons. When a mole captures an earthworm it will skillfully and speedily orient it using its teeth, nose and forefeet, so that the head-end is consumed first. The mole then threads the worm between its forefeet, tearing it into pieces with quick, jerky movements of the head and swallowing each morsel immediately. This method of eating facilitates the “stripping out” of gritty organic material found in the worm’s digestive tract and prevents the worm’s angled, bristle-like setae from interfering with swallowing.

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[biol525-mammalogy]

one of my bat posts got flagged and i don't know why, it's not like it had female-presenting nipples in it

laurasiatheria -> eulipotyphyla -> talpidae -> scapanus latimanus (broad-footed mole)

all you gotta know: big hands and reduced/absent eyes