TALPA : MOLE

CLASSIFICATION OF TALPA : MOLE

PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present )

Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present )

Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA ( vertebral column present)

Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present )

Super class :-  TETRAPODA ( Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin).

Class :-MAMMALIA ( Body covered with hairs. females have mammary glands ).

Sub-class :- THERIA ( Viviparous ).

Infra class :- EUTHERIA ( Placental mammals, vagina single ).

Order :- INSECTIVORA ( Feed on insects).

Genus : Talpa

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Mole is found in India ( Assam ) and Western Himalayas.

HABIT AND HABITAT

It is adapted for subterranean burrowing and lives in tunnels. It feed Worms, insects and sprouted seeds. It runs deeper into tunnels.

TALPA : MOLE

GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF TALPA : MOLE

  • Commonly called as mole.
  • Pigmentation is uniformly velvet-black, with a silver-grey glossy texture.
  • Body measuring 15 cm in length, divided into head, short neck, trunk or back and abdomen.
  • Head wedge-shaped. Snout elongated having prenasal bone. Snout contains bristles or vibrissae at the tip lower jaw reduced.
  • Eyes are very much reduced and covered with skin. External ears (pinnae) absent.
  • Tail is short, sensory and without hair. Tail and feet are fleshy white.
  • Hind limb large and broad containing 5 digits, each having broad nail, used for digging.
  • Forelimb usually with 5 clawed-toes; inner toes not opposable.
  • No marsupial pouch. Single vagina. Foetus develops within the body of female attached placenta to wall of uterus.

Special features

It represents a primitive Eutherian having small cranial cavity, low grada (smooth cerebral hemispheres), inguinal testes, discoidal and deciduate placenta with for yolk sac placenta.

Identification

Since this mammal has elongated snout, wedge-shaped head and above features it is Talpa or Mole

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