European mole

European Mole
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Soricomorpha
Family:	Talpidae
Genus:	Talpa
Species:	T. europaea
Binomial name
	Talpa europaea; Linnaeus, 1758
	Range map

The European Mole, Talpa europaea, is a mammal of the order Soricomorpha. It is also known as the Common Mole and the Northern Mole.^[3]

This mole lives in an underground tunnel system, which it constantly extends. It uses these tunnels to hunt its prey. Under normal conditions the displaced earth is pushed to the surface, resulting in the characteristic "mole hills".

It has a cylindrical body and is around 12 cm (5 1/4 inches) long. Females are typically smaller than males. The eyes are small, and hidden behind fur. Its ear is just a small ridge in the skin. The fur is usually dark grey, but the actual range of colors is larger, as due to the subterranean habits there is no disadvantage in off-colored fur. European moles with white, light grey, tan^{[verification needed]} and black fur have been reported.

Mole-hills
Portrait

References

^ Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 308. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^ Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
^ Talpa europaea, nomen.at

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[msw3-1] Hutterer, R. (2005). Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 308. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.

[iucn-2] Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern

[3] Talpa europaea, nomen.at

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