First Italian record for a partial Isabelline colouration in a European mole, Talpa europaea

The European mole Talpa europaea Linnaeus, 1758 is a quite common species in Central Italy. I report the first Isabelline individual of this species recorded in the scientific literature. Actually, this species is quite widespread throughout Europe, but coat-colouration anomalies have never been described in Italian mole populations. Further research is therefore needed to determine the percentage of occurrence of anomalous individuals and the evolutionary history of coat anomalies in moles.

Commensals of underground mammals: European mole (Talpa europaea, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) and the greater mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus, Rodentia, Spalacidae)

Stepanova I, Andreychev A, Kulakhmetov R, Lobachev E. 2021. Commensals of underground mammals: European mole (Talpa europaea, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) and the greater mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus, Rodentia, Spalacidae). Biodiversitas 22: 4665-4670. The study of lodgers of burrows of underground mammals was carried out using the method of hunting cylinders (cans). In the study, 29 different representatives from the following classes were identified in the courses of the greater mole-rat and European mole: Diplopoda, Chilopoda, Gastropoda, Insecta, Amphibia, and Mammalia. Among the vertebrates captured are Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus), Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus), moor frog (Rana arvalis), and common toad (Bufo bufo). Twenty-six different species have been identified among invertebrates. Many animals seek shelter in the burrows of underground mammals from enemies and adverse climatic factors for food or conditions for reproduction. In the central part of Russia, more species of commensals were found in European mole burrows (29) than in greater mole-rat burrows (21).

Demodex crocidurae, a New Demodecid Mite (Acariformes: Prostigmata) Parasitizing the Lesser White-Toothed Shrew and a Redescription of Demodex talpae from European Mole with Data on Parasitism in Soricomorpha

Only six parasitic species of Demodecidae mite have thus far been described from the Soricomorpha, these being associated with the common shrew Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758, and the Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus Cabrera, 1907 (two species from each host), and with the lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas, 1811) and the European mole Talpa europaea Linnaeus, 1758 (one from each host species). Presently, Demodex crocidurae, a new species, has been described from the territory of Poland for C. suaveolens; in order to confirm its validity, it was necessary to redescribe D. talpae Hirst, 1921, from T. europaea, a demodecid species first described by Hirst in 1921 from England and then noted only in Poland. Both species colonized the hairy skin of the body in their hosts, where no disease symptoms of infestation were observed. However, D. crocidurae showed higher infection parameters (prevalence 100%, mean intensity 11.7, intensity range 3–26 individuals) than those of D. talpae (30.0%, 4.7, 2.0–8.0), possibly due to different host biology.

ПОЧВООБРАЗУЮЩЕЕ ЗНАЧЕНИЕ ВЫНОСЯЩЕЙ (ПЕРЕОТЛОЖНОЙ) ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ КРОТА ЕВРОПЕЙСКОГО (TALPA EUROPAEA, L) В ТАЕЖНОМ БИОГЕОЦЕНОЗЕ

The soil discharges made by moles (molehills) consist of mixed superficial soil layers where the main physicochemical parameters of soil show beneficial changes, including reduced density, moisture and acidity and increased humus content, especially during the first three months after molehill formation. In the present study, the biocenoses most preferred by the European mole (Talpa europaea, L) in Vologda Region have been determined. Most avidly inhabited by moles were moistened areas at forest edges and mixed young growths on glades. A limiting factor of the excavating activity of moles is soil grain-size composition. Moles prefer light and middle- density loams where its activity is high than in areas with light sandy loams and heavy loams. Data on the areas modified by moles in different sylvan biocenoses have been obtained. A positive effect of mole activities is facilitating the beneficial conditions for the restoration of plant communities destroyed by deforestation.

The European mole (Talpa europaea) in the Siversky Donets region: new data on the species’ distribution in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine

New data on the distribution of moles in Luhansk Oblast are presented. Field studies were carried out in 2008–2019. The European mole is a sporadic and non-abundant species in the studied area. In Stanychno-Luhansk Raion, the species first appeared in the late 1990s. In some years, moles in the region are characterised by fluctuations of the population number and geographic range. Additional field studies are required to clarify the European mole's range and abundance in Luhansk Oblast.

Research into the mammal fauna of the Sviatoshynsko-Bilychansky forest within the Holosiivsky National Nature Park

In 2017–2019, a survey of the mammal faune of the Sviatoshynsko-Bilychansky forest, which is located nearby to the northwestern outskirts of Kyiv, was carried out. The following species of mammals were recorded: Neomys fodiens, Neomys anomalus, Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus, Talpa europaea, Erinaceus concolor, Alces alces, Capreolus capreolus, Sus scrofa, Lepus europaeus, Sciurus vulgaris, Castor fiber, Ondatra zibeticus, Muscardinus avellanarius, Apodemus agrarius, Sylvaemus flavicollis, Sylvaemus sylvaticus, Micromys minutus, Clethrionomys glareolus, Vulpes vulpes, Lutra lutra, Meles meles, Mustela vison, Martes martes, and Martes foina.

Map-A-Mole: Greenspace Area Influences the Presence and Abundance of the European Mole Talpa europaea in Urban Habitats

The European mole Talpa europaea is common across much of Britain. It has a unique fossorial lifestyle, and evidence of its presence is readily identified through the presence of characteristic molehills. Although molehills are often a common sight in urban greenspaces, moles are remarkably understudied, with very few studies to date exploring the urban ecology of moles. Here, we investigate if factors such as greenspace (largely urban parks and playing fields) area, intensity of management, distance to nearest patch, amount of time the patch had been isolated from other green patches, and the amount of urbanization (constructed surfaces) surrounding the patch, influence the distribution and abundance of urban moles. Mole signs (hills and surface runs) were counted in all discrete urban greenspaces (excluding domestic gardens and one private golf course) within an 89.5 km2 area in the UK town of Reading. We found that 17 out of 59 surveyed sites contained moles, with their presence being recorded in greenspaces with a minimum patch area of approximately 0.1 km2 (10 ha). Where present, the abundance of mole territories in the greenspaces was associated with both the area of greenspace and degree of urbanization within 150 m of the patch boundary. While the former was not surprising, the latter outcome may be a consequence of sites with an increased risk of flooding being home to fewer moles, and the surrounding area is also less likely to be built upon. This case study highlights how choices made in designing urban green infrastructure will determine which species survive in urban areas long into the future.