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.
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
