#zokor

New Hamster

Chinchillinois

Gophlorida

Hutiawai'i

Iowater Rat

Arizokor

Alabamara

Voleginia

Georgerbil

Beavermont

Porcupinnsylvania

Washinguinea Pig

Degutah

North Capybara

Californutria

New Jerboa

Moussissippi

West Viscacha

Marmotsachusetts

Lemmichigan

Colorato

Siberian Zokor Myospalax myospalax

The zokor are burrowing rodents related to mole-rats found in Russia and central Asia. They feed on roots underground, and studies showed that they preferred to keep the entrances to their burrows sealed at all times.

Credit:

Chinese Zokor (Eospalax fontanierii)

Family: Spalacid Family (Spalacidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Found only in central and eastern China, the Chinese Zokor is a species of relatively large burrowing rodent that, though believed to be fairly common, is rarely encountered alive as it spends its entire life underground, with molehill-like mounds of displaced soil being the only aboveground indicator that a Zokor population is present. Digging by breaking apart compacted soil with their large incisors and pushing it back using their curved claws and broad spade-like feet, members of this species live alone and build their burrows in treeless grasslands, constructing expansive networks of tunnels with "feeding tunnels" near the surface used to access the subterranean vegetation (such as tubers and roots) on which they feed and numerous chambers located further underground which are used for sleeping, raising young and storing excess food for use in times of scarcity. Chinese Zokors breed in the spring; when receptive to mating males will begin to tunnel away from their main burrow until they intersect the tunnel of a female, with mated females producing a single litter of 2-3 young after a gestation period of around 30 days and providing their offspring with milk and shelter until they become independent at around 50 days old. Throughout much of their range Chinese Zokors have historically been persecuted as pests due to their habit of damaging the roots of crops and leaving mounds of soils in gardens and public parks, and while it is true that they reduce the aboveground growth of plants by feeding on their roots it has also been found that by forcing soil from deep underground to the surface they provide an essential service to the ecosystems they inhabit, providing soil-dwelling organisms with oxygen, cycling nutrients through the soil and clearing small patches of land that can be colonised by less competitive plants.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phylogenetic relationships of the Zokor genus Eospalax (Mammalia, Rodentia, Spalacidae) inferred from whole-genome analyses, with description of a new species endemic to Hengduan Mountains

Tao Zhang, Meng-Long Lei, Hao Zhou, Zhong-Zheng Chen, Peng Shi

Abstract

Zokors in the genus Eospalax, which are endemic to northern and western China, are subterranean rodents that inhabit various niches, including grasslands, high-altitude meadows, forests, and farmlands. 

Six species in Eospalax were described a century ago but their taxonomy and phylogeny remain controversial. In this study, we performed high-depth whole-genome sequencing of 47 zokor samples, comprising all six previously described species...

Read the paper here:

Sorry for the delay on these! Here’s the last of my March Mammal Madness round 1 & 2 art. This is the Double Trouble division, and every animal here has a funky thing going on with their name ;) Their scientific name, in particular.