Georychus capensis

4. Cape Mole-rat Georychus capensis French: Bathyergue du Cap / German: Kap-Blessmull / Spanish: Rata topo de El Cabo Other common names: Cape Blesmol, Cape Mole Rat Taxonomy. Mus capensis Pallas, 1779, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. This species is monotypic. Distribution. South Africa, Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces and isolated populations in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. Descriptive notes. Head-body 85-231-6 mm (males) and 131:2-181-2 mm (females), tail 18:-1-23-1 mm (males) and 17-3-23-7 mm (females); weight 108-5- 255-1 g (males) and 87.7-272-3 g (females). The Cape Mole-rat is mediumto largesized; pelage is thick, russet to brown dorsally and significantly lighter ventrally. Head and areas below eyes are dark brown; white patches surround ear openings and eyes; nose is pink, with white surrounding anterior part of head. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 54, FN = 104. Habitat. Sandyto clay soils in mesic coastal regions with fynbos shrublands, forests, and savannas of mesic coastal regions. Food and Feeding. The Cape Mole-rat is herbivorous and eats green plants, grasses, clover, and geophytes;it does not drink standing water. Breeding. Breeding of the Cape Mole-rat occurs in August-December. Gestation is 44-48 days, andlitter size averages six young (range 3-10). Activity patterns. The Cape Mole-rat burrows with its teeth; it can be seen aboveground. Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Cape Mole-rat disperses aboveground;it is solitary and territorial. It communicates with seismic signaling by foot drumming. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Bennett & Jarvis (1988b), Bennett et al. (2006), Bronner (1990), Du Toit et al. (1985), Lovegrove & Papenfus (1995), Maree & Faulkes (2008f), Narins et al. (1992), Nevo et al. (1986), Robb et al. (2012), Roper et al. (2001).Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Bathyergidae, pp. 352-370 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 367-368, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.658469