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| Desmana moschata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conservation status | |
 Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Insectivora |
| Family: | Talpidae |
| Subfamily: | Desmaninae |
| Genus: | Desmana Güldenstädt, 1777 |
| Species: | D. moschata |
| Binomial name | |
| Desmana moschata (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
The Russian desman (Desmana moschata) (Template:Lang-ru) is a small semi-aquatic mammal that inhabits the Volga, Don and Ural River basins in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. It constructs burrows into the banks of ponds and slow moving streams, but prefers small, overgrown ponds with abundance of insects and amphibians. Russian desmans often live in small (usually non-kin related) groups of 2 to 5 animals and appear to have complex (but largely unstudied) communication and social systems.
The Russian desman is the only species of the genus Desmana. Despite their outward similarity to muskrats (a rodent), the Russian desman is actually part of the mole family Talpidae (Insectivora). Like other moles, they are functionally blind and obtain much of their sensory input from the touch sensitive Eimer's organs at the end of their long, bi-lobed snout. However, the hind feet are webbed and the tail laterally flatened -- specializations for their aquatic habitat. The body is 18 to 21 cm long while the tail 17 to 20 cm in length. Easily the largest species of mole, they weigh 400 to 520 g.
Decidedly rich and thick in nature, desman fur used to be highly sought after by the fur trade. Consequently, the Russian desman is now a protected species under Russian law. Unfortunately, due to loss of habitat (farming), pollution, illegal fishing nets, and the introduction of non-native species (e.g. muskrat), population levels continue to decline. In mid-1970s, there were an estimated 70,000 desmans in the wild; by 2004 the figure was only 35,000. Fortunately, at least in some Russian regions, the number of desmans appears to be increasing.
References
- Template:IUCN2006 Listed as Vulnerable (VU B1+2c v2.3)
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the Russian desman (Desmana moschata)
- June 9, 2006, BBC, Campaign to save the Russian desman