It is a very large, brownish species, with head and body length ranging from 222 to 268 mm (8.7 to 10.6 in). The young are dark with irregular white patches on their underparts. The animal builds large burrows and perhaps associated mounds and eats plant roots.
In 1909, John Alden Loring collected the holotype while on the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition led by Theodore Roosevelt.[7] The next year, Edmund Heller described the species as Tachyoryctes rex; he thought it most closely related to another Kenyan species, T. audax.[2] In 1919, Ned Hollister provided additional information using more material, and affirmed the relationship between T. rex and T. audax. He noted that the two were similar in coloration, but that T. rex was much larger;[8] according to Heller, T. audax is somewhat darker in color.[2] Since 1974, some taxonomic works have included T. rex and many other Tachyoryctes species in T. splendens, though without evaluation of the distinctive characters of the previously recognized species.[9] The 2009 IUCN Red List follows this arrangement,[10] but the 2005 third edition of Mammal Species of the World describes T. rex as a "distinctive species".[3]
Tachyoryctes rex is a very large species with fluffy fur.[8] It is reddish-brown above and lighter brown below. The tip of the snout and the throat are black, and an area around the mouth is white. The feet are brown, but the toes are white. The tail is dark above and off-white below.[2] Males are larger than females. Young animals are dark-furred, with some irregular white areas on their underparts. In young animals, the crown area of the molars is small, but it grows with wear in adulthood until reaching a maximum, after which it shrinks again. The iris is dark gray-brown.[8] In 14 specimens, head and body length is 222 to 268 mm (8.7 to 10.6 in), tail length is 54 to 80 mm (2.1 to 3.1 in), hindfoot length is 29 to 33 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in), and skull (condylobasal) length is 47 to 57 mm (1.9 to 2.2 in).[12]
In comparison to those of Tachyoryctes audax, the nasal bones are larger and have angles at the sides. T. annectens, which is nearly as large, has smaller teeth and nasals; in T. rex, the basioccipital is broader, and the back part of the mandible (lower jaw) is better developed and has the capsule of the incisor placed further to the front.[2]
Distribution, Ecology, and Behavioredit
Tachyoryctes rex is found on the western slope of Mount Kenya, Kenya, at 2,600 to 3,350 m (8,500 to 11,000 ft) in altitude.[3] It is common in a limited area, at the upper edge of the bamboo forest and lower edge of the moorland.[2] A female found on October 5 had a large embryo.[8]T. rex builds large mounds with diameters up to 6 m (20 ft).[13] Some have interpreted these mounds as being built by termites instead.[14] From those mounds, burrows may extend up to 50 m (160 ft) and be up to 1 m (3.3 ft) deep. One chamber is used for urination and defecation and to store plant matter; it produces a substantial amount of heat. In other chambers, T. rex builds large nests of grass.[15] The animal eats plant roots. Its presence results in a change in vegetation on the mounds, which have fewer grasses and more woody plants, either because the animal eats plant roots or because the soil is altered.[16]
^Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
Anonymous. 1908. President Roosevelt's African trip (subscription required). Science 28(729):876–877.
Darlington, J.P.E.C. 1985. Lenticular soil mounds in the Kenya highlands (subscription required). Oecologia 66(1):116–121.
Duff, A. and Lawson, A. 2004. Mammals of the World: A Checklist. Yale University Press, 312 pp.
Hausman, L.A. 1920. Structural characteristics of the hair of mammals. The American Naturalist 54:496–523.
Heller, E. 1910. Descriptions of seven new species of East African mammals. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 56(9):1–5.
Hollister, N. 1919. East African mammals in the United States National Museum. Part II. Rodentia, Lagomorpha, and Tubulidentata. United States National Museum Bulletin 99(2):1–184.
Osborne, P.L. 2000. Tropical ecosystems and ecological concepts. Cambridge University Press, 464 pp. ISBN978-0-521-64523-2
Roosevelt, T. 1910. African game trails: an account of the African wanderings of an American hunter-naturalist. Scribner, 529 pp.
Rundel, P.W., Smith, A.P. and Meinzer, F.C. 1994. Tropical alpine environments: plant form and function. Cambridge University Press, 376 pp. ISBN978-0-521-42089-1
January 01, 1970
king, african, mole, king, mole, alpine, mole, tachyoryctes, burrowing, rodent, genus, tachyoryctes, family, spalacidae, only, occurs, high, mount, kenya, where, common, originally, described, separate, species, related, aberdare, mountains, african, mole, aud. The King African mole rat 3 King mole rat 4 or Alpine mole rat 5 Tachyoryctes rex is a burrowing rodent in the genus Tachyoryctes of family Spalacidae 6 It only occurs high on Mount Kenya where it is common Originally described as a separate species related to Aberdare Mountains African mole rat T audax in 1910 some classify it as the same species as the East African mole rat T splendens King African mole rat Holotype skull and mandible of Tachyoryctes rex 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Rodentia Family Spalacidae Genus Tachyoryctes Species T rex Binomial name Tachyoryctes rexHeller 1910 2 It is a very large brownish species with head and body length ranging from 222 to 268 mm 8 7 to 10 6 in The young are dark with irregular white patches on their underparts The animal builds large burrows and perhaps associated mounds and eats plant roots Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution Ecology and Behavior 4 ReferencesTaxonomy editIn 1909 John Alden Loring collected the holotype while on the Smithsonian Roosevelt African Expedition led by Theodore Roosevelt 7 The next year Edmund Heller described the species as Tachyoryctes rex he thought it most closely related to another Kenyan species T audax 2 In 1919 Ned Hollister provided additional information using more material and affirmed the relationship between T rex and T audax He noted that the two were similar in coloration but that T rex was much larger 8 according to Heller T audax is somewhat darker in color 2 Since 1974 some taxonomic works have included T rex and many other Tachyoryctes species in T splendens though without evaluation of the distinctive characters of the previously recognized species 9 The 2009 IUCN Red List follows this arrangement 10 but the 2005 third edition of Mammal Species of the World describes T rex as a distinctive species 3 Description edit nbsp Hair of Tachyoryctes rex 11 Tachyoryctes rex is a very large species with fluffy fur 8 It is reddish brown above and lighter brown below The tip of the snout and the throat are black and an area around the mouth is white The feet are brown but the toes are white The tail is dark above and off white below 2 Males are larger than females Young animals are dark furred with some irregular white areas on their underparts In young animals the crown area of the molars is small but it grows with wear in adulthood until reaching a maximum after which it shrinks again The iris is dark gray brown 8 In 14 specimens head and body length is 222 to 268 mm 8 7 to 10 6 in tail length is 54 to 80 mm 2 1 to 3 1 in hindfoot length is 29 to 33 mm 1 1 to 1 3 in and skull condylobasal length is 47 to 57 mm 1 9 to 2 2 in 12 In comparison to those of Tachyoryctes audax the nasal bones are larger and have angles at the sides T annectens which is nearly as large has smaller teeth and nasals in T rex the basioccipital is broader and the back part of the mandible lower jaw is better developed and has the capsule of the incisor placed further to the front 2 Distribution Ecology and Behavior editTachyoryctes rex is found on the western slope of Mount Kenya Kenya at 2 600 to 3 350 m 8 500 to 11 000 ft in altitude 3 It is common in a limited area at the upper edge of the bamboo forest and lower edge of the moorland 2 A female found on October 5 had a large embryo 8 T rex builds large mounds with diameters up to 6 m 20 ft 13 Some have interpreted these mounds as being built by termites instead 14 From those mounds burrows may extend up to 50 m 160 ft and be up to 1 m 3 3 ft deep One chamber is used for urination and defecation and to store plant matter it produces a substantial amount of heat In other chambers T rex builds large nests of grass 15 The animal eats plant roots Its presence results in a change in vegetation on the mounds which have fewer grasses and more woody plants either because the animal eats plant roots or because the soil is altered 16 References edit Hollister 1919 plate 15 a b c d e f Heller 1910 p 4 a b c Musser and Carleton 2005 p 924 Duff and Lawson 2004 Loring in Roosevelt 1910 p 547 Wilson D E Reeder D M eds 2005 Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed Johns Hopkins University Press ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 OCLC 62265494 Anonymous 1908 Heller 1910 pp 1 4 a b c d Hollister 1919 p 42 Musser and Carleton 2005 pp 922 923 Schlitter et al 2008 Hausman 1920 plate III fig 103 Hollister 1919 p 45 Osborne 2000 p 293 Darlington 1985 p 116 Osborne 2000 p 293 Hollister 1919 p 42 Rundel et al 1994 p 333 Anonymous 1908 President Roosevelt s African trip subscription required Science 28 729 876 877 Darlington J P E C 1985 Lenticular soil mounds in the Kenya highlands subscription required Oecologia 66 1 116 121 Duff A and Lawson A 2004 Mammals of the World A Checklist Yale University Press 312 pp Hausman L A 1920 Structural characteristics of the hair of mammals The American Naturalist 54 496 523 Heller E 1910 Descriptions of seven new species of East African mammals Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 56 9 1 5 Hollister N 1919 East African mammals in the United States National Museum Part II Rodentia Lagomorpha and Tubulidentata United States National Museum Bulletin 99 2 1 184 Osborne P L 2000 Tropical ecosystems and ecological concepts Cambridge University Press 464 pp ISBN 978 0 521 64523 2 Roosevelt T 1910 African game trails an account of the African wanderings of an American hunter naturalist Scribner 529 pp Rundel P W Smith A P and Meinzer F C 1994 Tropical alpine environments plant form and function Cambridge University Press 376 pp ISBN 978 0 521 42089 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title King African mole rat amp oldid 1139124183, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
