List of spalacids

Spalacidae is a family of mammals in the order Rodentia and part of the Myomorpha suborder. Members of this family are called spalacids, and include blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, mole-rats, and zokors. They are found in Asia, eastern Africa, and eastern Europe, primarily in forests, shrublands, and grasslands, though some species can be found in deserts or savannas. They range in size from the Middle East blind mole-rat, at 13 cm (5 in) with no tail, to the large bamboo rat, at 48 cm (19 in) plus a 20 cm (8 in) tail. Spalacids are primarily herbivores, and eat roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, with some species also eating insects. Few spalacids have population estimates, but four species—the giant root-rat, Mehely's blind mole-rat, Podolsk blind mole-rat, and sandy blind mole-rat—are categorized as endangered, while the Oltenia blind mole-rat is categorized as critically endangered.

The 23 extant species of Spalacidae are divided into 7 genera, grouped into 3 subfamilies. Myospalacinae contains 6 species of zokors in 2 genera, Rhizomyinae contains 6 species of bamboo rats and mole-rats in 3 genera, and Spalacinae contains 11 species of blind mole-rats in 2 genera. Several extinct prehistoric spalacid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries, the exact number and categorization is not fixed.[1]

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories
Conservation status
 EX Extinct (0 species)
 EW Extinct in the wild (0 species)
 CR Critically endangered (1 species)
 EN Endangered (4 species)
 VU Vulnerable (1 species)
 NT Near threatened (0 species)
 LC Least concern (17 species)

The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the spalacid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.

Classification

Spalacidae is a family consisting of 23 extant species in 7 genera. These genera are divided into four subfamilies: Myospalacinae, containing 6 species of in 2 genera; Rhizomyinae, containing 6 species in 3 genera; and Spalacinae, containing 11 species in 2 genera. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.

Family Spalacidae

Spalacidae[2]

Spalacids

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists.[3]

Subfamily Myospalacinae

Main article: Myospalacinae
Genus Eospalax – Allen, 1938 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Chinese zokor

 E. fontanierii
(H. Milne-Edwards, 1867) 		Central China Size: 16–24 cm (6–9 in) long, plus 3–7 cm (1–3 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Shrubland and grassland[5]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [5]

Rothschild's zokor E. rothschildi
(Thomas, 1911) 		Central China Size: 14–18 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and grassland[7]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [7]

Smith's zokor E. smithii
(Thomas, 1911) 		Central China Size: 16–25 cm (6–10 in) long, plus 3–4 cm (1–2 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Grassland[8]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [8]

Genus Myospalax – Laxmann, 1769 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
False zokor

 M. aspalax
(Pallas, 1776) 		Mongolia, southern Russia, and northern China Size: 16–21 cm (6–8 in) long, plus 3–7 cm (1–3 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Forest and shrubland[9]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [9]

Siberian zokor

 M. myospalax
(Laxmann, 1773) 		Kazakhstan, southern Russia, and northern China
 Size: 20–27 cm (8–11 in) long, plus about 5 cm (2 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Grassland[10]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [10]

Transbaikal zokor

 M. psilurus
(H. Milne-Edwards, 1874) 		Mongolia, southern Russia, and northern China Size: 20–27 cm (8–11 in) long, plus 3–6 cm (1–2 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, and desert[11]

Diet: Roots and grains[6] 		 LC 


Unknown [11]

Subfamily Rhizomyinae

Main article: Rhizomyinae
Genus Cannomys – Thomas, 1915 – one species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Lesser bamboo rat

 C. badius
(Hodgson, 1841) 		Southeastern Asia
 Size: 14–26 cm (6–10 in) long, plus 4–10 cm (2–4 in) tail[12]

Habitat: Forest[13]

Diet: Shrubs, shoots, and roots[14] 		 LC 


Unknown [13]

Genus Rhizomys – Gray, 1831 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Chinese bamboo rat

 R. sinensis
Gray, 1831 		China, Myanmar, and Vietnam
 Size: 22–45 cm (9–18 in) long, plus 5–10 cm (2–4 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Forest[15]

Diet: Bamboo roots, as well as grass, seeds, and fruit[16] 		 LC 


Unknown [15]

Hoary bamboo rat

 R. pruinosus
Blyth, 1851 		India and southeastern Asia
 Size: 24–35 cm (9–14 in) long, plus 9–13 cm (4–5 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Forest and grassland[17]

Diet: Bamboo roots, as well as grass, seeds, and fruit[16] 		 LC 


Unknown [17]

Large bamboo rat

 R. sumatrensis
(Raffles, 1821) 		Southeastern Asia
 Size: 26–48 cm (10–19 in) long, plus 10–20 cm (4–8 in) tail[4]

Habitat: Forest[18]

Diet: Bamboo roots, as well as grass, seeds, and fruit[16] 		 LC 


Unknown [18]

Genus Tachyoryctes – Rüppell, 1835 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Giant root-rat

 T. macrocephalus
Rüppell, 1842 		Ethiopia Size: 22–31 cm (9–12 in) long, plus 4–7 cm (2–3 in) tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[19]

Diet: Roots, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, and corms, as well as grass and legumes[20] 		 EN 


Unknown [19]

Northeast African mole-rat

 T. splendens
(Rüppell, 1836) 		Eastern Africa Size: 15–27 cm (6–11 in) long, plus 4–10 cm (2–4 in) tail[12]

Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland[21]

Diet: Roots, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, and corms, as well as grass and legumes[20] 		 LC 


Unknown [21]

Subfamily Spalacinae

Main article: Spalacinae
Genus Nannospalax – Palmer, 1903 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Anatolian blind mole-rat

 N. xanthodon
(Nordmann, 1840) 		Western Asia Size: 14–25 cm (6–10 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[22]

Diet: Roots, tubers, acorns, plant stems, and other plant parts[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [22]

Lesser blind mole-rat

 N. leucodon
(Nordmann, 1840) 		Southeastern Europe
 Size: 15–24 cm (6–9 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[24]

Diet: Roots, tubers, acorns, plant stems, and other plant parts[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [24]

Middle East blind mole-rat

 N. ehrenbergi
(Nehring, 1898) 		Middle East and northeastern Africa Size: 13–22 cm (5–9 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, and desert[25]

Diet: Roots, tubers, acorns, plant stems, and other plant parts[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [25]

Genus Spalax – Güldenstädt, 1770 – eight species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Bukovina blind mole-rat S. graecus
Nehring, 1898 		Romania and southwestern Ukraine Size: 22–28 cm (9–11 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[26]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 VU 


Unknown [26]

Giant blind mole-rat

 S. giganteus
Nehring, 1898 		Southwestern Russia Size: 25–35 cm (10–14 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Shrubland and grassland[27]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [27]

Greater blind mole-rat

 S. microphthalmus
Güldenstädt, 1770 		Ukraine and southwestern Russia Size: 19–31 cm (7–12 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Shrubland and grassland[28]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [28]

Kazakhstan blind mole-rat S. uralensis
Tiflov & Usov, 1939 		Kazakhstan Size: About 31 cm (12 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[29]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 LC 


Unknown [29]

Mehely's blind mole-rat S. antiquus
Méhely, 1909 		Romania Size: Unknown[12]

Habitat: Grassland[30]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 EN 


3,500–3,800 [30]

Oltenia blind mole-rat S. istricus
Méhely, 1909 		Romania Size: About 24 cm (9 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[31]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 CR 


Unknown [31]

Podolsk blind mole-rat

 S. zemni
Erxleben, 1777 		Ukraine Size: 20–31 cm (8–12 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Forest and grassland[32]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 EN 


Unknown [32]

Sandy blind mole-rat

 S. arenarius
Reshetnik, 1939 		Ukraine
 Size: 19–27 cm (7–11 in) long, with no tail[12]

Habitat: Grassland[33]

Diet: Roots, bulbs, tubers, grass, and seeds, as well as insects[23] 		 EN 


Unknown [33]

References

  1. ^ "Family Spalacidae Gray 1821 (mouse)". Paleobiology Database. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Archived from the original on May 16, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  2. ^ Fabre, P.-H.; Hautier, L.; Dimitrov, D.; Douzery, E. J. P. (2012). "A glimpse on the pattern of rodent diversification: a phylogenetic approach". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 12 (1): 88. Bibcode:2012BMCEE..12...88F. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-12-88. PMC 3532383. PMID 22697210.
  3. ^ Wilson; Reeder, pp. 907–925
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 210–211
  5. ^ a b Smith, A. T.; Johnston, C. H. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Eospalax fontanierii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14118A115120816. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14118A22277700.en.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Nowak, p. 1429
  7. ^ a b Smith, A. T.; Johnston, C. H. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Eospalax rothschildi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14121A115121170. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14121A22277586.en.
  8. ^ a b Smith, A. T.; Johnston, C. H. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Eospalax smithii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14122A115121321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14122A22277483.en.
  9. ^ a b Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Myospalax aspalax". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14116A115120685. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14116A22277071.en.
  10. ^ a b Cassola, F. (2016). "Myospalax myospalax". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14119A22277335. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T14119A22277335.en.
  11. ^ a b Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Myospalax psilurus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T14120A115121026. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14120A22277214.en.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 212–213
  13. ^ a b Aplin, K.; Lunde, D.; Musser, G.; Frost, A.; Molur, S. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Cannomys badius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T3759A115066803. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T3759A22274794.en.
  14. ^ Nowak, p. 1443
  15. ^ a b Lunde, D.; Aplin, K.; Musser, G. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Rhizomys sinensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T19646A115152572. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T19646A22275131.en.
  16. ^ a b c Nowak, p. 1442
  17. ^ a b Aplin, K.; Molur, S. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Rhizomys pruinosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T19645A115152385. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T19645A22274964.en.
  18. ^ a b Aplin, K.; Lunde, D. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Rhizomys sumatrensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T19647A115152803. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T19647A22275342.en.
  19. ^ a b Lavrenchenko, L.; Kennerley, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Tachyoryctes macrocephalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T21293A115161321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T21293A22276163.en.
  20. ^ a b Nowak, p. 1445
  21. ^ a b Cassola, F. (2017). "Tachyoryctes splendens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017 e.T21299A22275532. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T21299A22275532.en.
  22. ^ a b Arslan, A.; Gazzard, A.; Matur, F.; Sozen, M. (2023). "Nannospalax xanthodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T14327A22276510. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T14327A22276510.en.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Nowak, p. 1427
  24. ^ a b Rusin, M. (2024). "Nannospalax leucodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T14328A221788646. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T14328A221788646.en.
  25. ^ a b Lövy, M.; Gazzard, A. (2023). "Nannospalax ehrenbergi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T14326A22276839. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T14326A22276839.en.
  26. ^ a b Rusin, M. (2024). "Spalax graecus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T97249856A217345371. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T97249856A217345371.en.
  27. ^ a b Kennerley, R.; Formozov, N.; Sheftel, B. (2016). "Spalax giganteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T20429A2772339. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T20429A2772339.en.
  28. ^ a b Rusin, M. (2024). "Spalax microphthalmus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T20430A221789991. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T20430A221789991.en.
  29. ^ a b Rusin, M.; Gazzard, A. (2025). "Spalax uralensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2025 e.T136581A281170219.
  30. ^ a b Németh, A.; Csorba, G.; Hegyeli, Z. (2024). "Spalax antiquus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T97250195A221786525. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T97250195A221786525.en.
  31. ^ a b Hegyeli, Z.; Csorba, G.; Németh, A. (2024). "Spalax istricus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T97250154A217345946. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T97250154A217345946.en.
  32. ^ a b Rusin, M. (2024). "Spalax zemni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T42655A91863646. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T42655A91863646.en.
  33. ^ a b Rusin, M. (2025) [errata version of 2024 assessment]. "Spalax arenarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T20428A270136276. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T20428A270136276.en.

Sources

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