Iberian mole

About the Iberian mole

The Iberian mole (Talpa occidentalis) is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. The moles live in a variety of moist soil habitats in the Iberian peninsula, including in cultivated areas. The females are hermaphroditic and slightly smaller than the males. Talpa occidentalis is considered of least concern by the IUCN.

First described as a subspecies of Talpa caeca by Angel Cabrera in 1907, Miller shortly after identified it as a separate species based on the skull, and it was formally identified as Talpa occidentalis by Barrett-Hamilton in 1911. It was later again considered a subspecies by Niethammer in 1962, until reanalysis by Jiminzez et all in 1984 and Filipucci et al in 1987.

Adult males are slightly larger than females, at an average of 65 grams (2.3 oz) and 53.5 grams (1.89 oz) respectively. It is found in Spain and Portugal, primarily in the northwest. It is most commonly found in meadows, cropland or pastures, and woodlands, as well as any temperate area with deep, moist soil that is not too rock, sandy, or otherwise poorly suited for digging. It eats primarily earthworms, and its habitat tends to be areas high in earthworms. It prefers... Wikipedia →