Golden mole

Golden moles are small, burrowing mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa. They belong to the order Afrosoricida, not the unrelated order Eulipotyphla that includes true moles.

Afrosoricida: An order of African mammals that includes golden moles and tenrecs. Golden moles belong to this order rather than the order containing true moles.
Zygomatury: A jaw and skull condition in which the cheek arches are reduced or absent. Golden moles have a distinctive reduced cheek-arch structure associated with their digging form.
Grant's golden mole: A golden mole species found in parts of southern Africa. It is one named example of the family’s regional diversity.
Habitat fragmentation: The division of continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Fragmented soils can isolate golden mole populations and restrict movement.
Tenrec: A diverse group of mammals native mainly to Madagascar, with relatives in mainland Africa. Tenrecs are golden moles’ closest living relatives within Afrosoricida.
Dagger teeth: Long, pointed incisors used by some digging mammals to seize or kill prey. Several golden mole species use prominent teeth to capture underground invertebrates.
De Winton's golden mole: A critically endangered golden mole known from coastal dunes in South Africa. Its rediscovery highlights how difficult these underground mammals are to detect.
Mining: The extraction of minerals and other geological materials from the Earth. Mining can destroy or alter underground habitats used by golden moles.
Eulipotyphla: An order of mammals that includes true moles, shrews, and hedgehogs. True moles belong here, despite their superficial resemblance to golden moles.
Vibrissae: Specialized sensory hairs that detect nearby touch and movement. Facial vibrissae help golden moles sense objects in confined, dark tunnels.

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ErinaceidaeCompared with: Golden moles were once grouped with insectivorous mammals but are not close relatives of Erinaceidae.