The Senkaku mole (Mogera uchidai), also known as the Ryukyu mole, is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It was formerly classified as being the only species in the genus Nesoscaptor. It is endemic to the Uotsuri-jima (Japanese: 魚釣島; hiragana: うおつりじま) of the disputed territory of Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyutai Islands (Chinese: 釣魚台列嶼). It is most similar to the Insular mole (Mogera insularis) of Taiwan and mainland China.[2]

Senkaku mole
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Eulipotyphla
Family: Talpidae
Genus: Mogera
Species:
M. uchidai
Binomial name
Mogera uchidai
Abe, Shiraishi & Arai, 1991
Senkaku mole range

Ecological threats edit

Its existence is threatened by habitat loss, due to the introduction of domestic goats in 1978; the goats now number more than 300 on this tiny island.[3] Its conservation status was upgraded to CR in 2010 by the Biodiversity Center of Japan, although the IUCN still considers that current lack of population data prevents an accurate assessment.[1][4] New population studies have evaluated the species as vulnerable.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Laginha Pinto Correia, D. (2016). "Mogera uchidai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T14563A22323327. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T14563A22323327.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Motokawa, Masaharu; Lin, Liang-Kong; Cheng, Hsi-Chi; Harada, Masashi (July 2001). "Taxonomic Status of the Senkaku Mole, Nesoscaptor uchidai, with Special Reference to Variation in Mogera insularis from Taiwan (Mammalia: Insectivora)". Zoological Science. 18 (5): 733–740. doi:10.2108/zsj.18.733. hdl:2433/57216. ISSN 0289-0003. S2CID 53584187.
  3. ^ "EDGE:: Mammal Species Information(Nesoscaptor uchidai)". Archived from the original on 22 September 2010.
  4. ^ "センカクモグラ(絶滅危惧種情報検索)". 環境省生物多様性センター (in Japanese).

Further reading edit

  • 伊澤雅子 「センカクモグラ」 『改訂・沖縄県の絶滅のおそれのある野生生物(動物編)-レッドデータおきなわ-』、沖縄県文化環境部自然保護課編 、2005年、19-20頁。 (in Japanese)

External links edit