Golden moles are tiny, burrowing mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa that typically feed on insects. They superficially resemble true moles (family Talpidae) and marsupial moles (family Notoryctidae) but actually belong to a separate family, Chrysochloridae, under the order Afrosoricida with their closest relative being the tenrecs and otter shrews.
These animals are covered in dense, iridescent fur that reflects tinges of green, blue, violet, or copper. They have tiny ears and vestigial eyes that remain hidden under the fur. To compensate for their poor vision, golden moles have a hypertrophied malleus in their ear, which improves their hearing. As a result, they constantly watch out for sound cues to locate their prey.
They are excellent at digging, equipped with a large pick-like claw on their third toe, as well as webbed toes on their hind feet.
Currently, there are 21 species of golden moles.
They range in size from around 3.1 in (8 in) to about 7.9 in (20 cm). The largest species, the giant golden mole, measures 7.9 to 9.4 in (20 to 24 cm), while the smallest species, Grant’s golden mole, is about 3.1 to 3.5 in (8 to 9 cm) long and weighs less than 1 oz.
These animals have compact fusiform or lozenge-shaped bodies covered with iridescent fur. Despite their name, golden moles have dense fur that ranges from pale yellow to gray or black and is specially adapted to repel dirt and moisture.
Their shoulders are muscular, and their short forelimbs are modified for digging through the soil. The toes on the forefeet are reduced, though the third toe bears a large, pick-like claw. In contrast, the five toes on the hind foot are webbed to ensure easy displacement of soil while digging.
Their skin is particularly tough on the head, leading to a wedge-shaped muzzle with an enlarged, leathery nose pad called the rhinarium. Their eyes are vestigial and covered with fur; hence, they appear to be blind.
Although these mammals have small ears, they have a hypertrophied malleus bone (the largest in relation to the body size of any animal) and a long, highly coiled cochlea.
The hyoid and mandibular bones of the skull are articulated. They also have a pair of bones called tabulars in the occipital region. Their maxillae elongate to form the zygomatic arches of the skull.
The first incisor is enlarged, while the lateral incisors and first premolars are canine-like. The molars are zalambodont, characterized by two ridges that meet at a lambda-like angle.
The dental formula of golden moles is 3.1.3.2-3/3.1.3.2-3 = 36-40.
Golden moles were first documented by Carl Linnaeus around 250 years ago, following which further research has been conducted on this group. In 1882, Dobson noted that these mammals had zalambodont teeth like tenrecs (family Tenrecidae), but Broom (1916) and other authors argued their observations, saying different mammalian lineages have evolved zalambodont molars independently several times through convergent evolution.
Despite such reasoning, golden moles were initially classified under the order Insectivora (now obsolete) based on their affinity to the tenrecs owing to zalambodonty. Only recently, after studies on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, have golden moles and tenrecs been assigned under a separate order, Afrosoricida.
Based on observations from Miocene deposits, golden moles are believed to have diverged from tenrecs around 50 million years ago and have very few morphological synapomorphies. Thus, the two groups have been placed under distinct suborders (Tenrecomorpha for tenrecs and Chrysochloridea for golden moles).
The 21 species of golden moles are divided into 2 subfamilies (each having 5 genera): Chrysochlorinae and Amblysominae. Members of Chrysochlorinae possess an enlarged, conical malleus bone, whereas those in Amblysominae have a less developed malleus.
These mammals are native to sub-Saharan Africa, with the highest species diversity in South Africa. Only three species are found outside South Africa: the Congo golden mole (found in the equatorial forests and woodlands of central Africa), the Somali golden mole (found in the Somalian woodland), and the Stuhlmann’s golden mole (found in the montane forests of east and central Africa).
They inhabit various habitats, including forests, savannas, sandy riverbeds, rocky hillsides, grasslands, and even cultivated fields and golf courses. This diversity extends across a wide range of altitudes, with individuals found at sea level to elevations of about 10,800 ft (3,300 m).
They are opportunistic insectivores that typically feed on termites living under isolated grass clumps and other small insects, like crickets and grasshoppers. They also consume earthworms, millipedes, or small vertebrates, like lizards and burrowing snakes.
Most golden moles are nocturnal and forage at night, though a few species, like the giant golden mole, are often found active on cool and cloudy days.
Adult golden moles are mostly solitary and maintain territories that they actively defend from intruders, especially in regions where resources are relatively scanty.
These animals are subterranean and dig through soil by thrusting their head and powerful foreclaws. In this process, they build subsurface burrows or tunnels by replacing the soil of the lower layers and throwing them above the ground, creating raised ridges or mounds (mole hills). Some species, especially those in the genera Amblysomus and Neamblysomus, use their webbed hindfeet for digging and end up building deeper tunnels.
While permanent burrows, as long as about 3 ft (1 m), are used for residential uses, deeper chambers are used for other purposes, like searching for food or even as a site for excretion.
Owing to their poor vision, golden moles generally use their auditory sense to search for prey. They are highly attentive, pausing periodically to dip their heads beneath the soil, where they detect rustling roots and the distinctive head-banging alarm signals of termites.
These animals often cover distances of up to 6 km (3.7 mi) in a single night while searching for food.
Since some species living in deserts, like the Grant’s golden mole, cannot build tunnels in sand, they paddle through loose sand using their claws. Others, like those in the genus Chrysospalax, forage above the ground in leaf litter.
Though golden moles are primarily solitary, some species, like the giant golden mole, have been found hibernating together in small groups in the same nest. For example, Stuhlmann’s golden mole has also been found sharing burrows with more than one individual.
When attacked, Hottentot golden moles react aggressively, wrestling with their foreclaws and biting the abdomen of their opponent. During these encounters, they also emit high-pitched squeaks.
These moles are year-round breeders but probably reach their peak in the wetter months. During the breeding season, males engage in different courtship behaviors to attract females. These include chirruping vocalizations, head bobbing, and foot stamping. In response to such courtship, the females rasp and squeal to reciprocate their receptivity.
After mating, the females build grass-lined nests, where they give birth to up to three hairless offspring.
They are preyed upon by domestic cats and dogs, as well as nocturnal snakes and owls.
These animals face constant threats from human activities such as habitat loss, unsustainable farming practices, and sand mining, as well as predation by domestic cats and dogs.
The following table lists the threat levels of the different species of golden mole under the IUCN Red List.
| Species | IUCN Category |
|---|---|
| De Winton’s golden mole | Critically Endangered (CR) |
| Marley’s golden mole, Giant golden mole, Van Zyl’s golden mole, Gunning’s golden mole, Juliana’s golden mole | Endangered (EN) |
| Rough-haired golden mole, Duthie’s golden mole, Arend’s golden mole, Robust golden mole | Vulnerable (VU) |
| Fynbos golden mole, Highveld golden mole | Near Threatened (NT) |
| Grant’s golden mole, Sclater’s golden mole, Yellow golden mole, Hottentot golden mole, Stuhlmann’s golden mole | Least Concern (LC) |
| Congo golden mole, Visagie’s golden mole, Somali golden mole | Data Deficient (DD) |
The De Winton’s golden mole was not sighted since 1937 until it was rediscovered in November 2023 through environmental DNA tracking.
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