Occurrences of Nannospalax leucodon in Ukraine and adjacent countries

Study Extent

Mapping of mole-rats was done in different seasons, mainly along highways, but also in the countryside. Most records represent mounds. Sampled animals were taken to tissue collection.

Sampling

Most of the occurrences were recorded using GPS Garmin eTrex30 and eTrex30x. Presence of mole-rats was identified by soil mounds. In many cases mounds were recorded during driving the car, thus the accuracy of points is app. 100-200m (it took few seconds from noticing the mounds to record the location in GPS). In cases of uncertainty tunnels were excavated to measure the burrow diameter. In several cases mole-rats were captured and genotyped.

Quality Control

To correctly identify species living in the underground burrow two approaches were made: 1) burrows were excavates to measure the diameter; 2) animals were captured and genotyped.

Method steps

1. Driving motorway and countryside roads.
2. Mapping all mounds of mole-rats using GPS Garmin eTrex 30/30x.
3. Excavating of suspicious tunnels.
4. Trapping of animals in particular cases.
5. Tissue sampling.
6. Importing occurrence data from GPS device to Garmin BaseCamp.
7. Exporting occurrences from BaseCamp to produce DwC compatible database.

Registration points of Nannospalax leucodon (lesser blind mole-rat) are shown.

1. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
2. Chordata
   rank: phylum
3. Mammalia
   rank: class
4. Rodentia
   rank: order
5. Spalacidae
   rank: family
6. Nannospalax
   rank: genus
7. leucodon
   rank: species

Odesa and Chernivtsi Regions of Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, parts of Eastern Romania (Dobrogea) and Bulgaria (Dobrudja).