Carpitalpa arendsi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	AFROSORICIDA	CHRYSOCHLORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Carpitalpa arendsi

Species Authority:

(Lundholm, 1955)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Arend's Golden Mole

Synonym/s:

Chlorotalpa arendsi Lundholm, 1955

Taxonomic Notes:

Monotypic. Lundholm (1955) described this taxon as a subgenus of Chlorotalpa, as well as the subgenus Kilimatalpa for C. stuhlmanni from east Africa. Simonetta (1968) elevated Carpitalpa to generic rank to include Kilimatalpa. Meester (1974) instead assigned C. arendsi to Chlorotalpa and C. stuhlmanni to Chrysochloris, commenting that differences between the Chlorotalpa species did not warrant subgeneric separation. Phylogenetic analyses of morphometric data, however, confirm that C. arendsi has diverged considerably from the Chlorotalpa species and Chrysochloris (Kilimatalpa) stuhlmanni, necessitating its allocation to a distinct genus (Bronner 1995).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(iii) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Bronner, G.

Reviewer/s:

Rathbun, G. (Afrotheria Red List Authority) & Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Habitat alteration/degradation as a result of political instability and land transformation initiatives in Zimbabwe, together with a breakdown in policing and management of conservation areas, are inferred as major potential threats. This, and the restricted range of this species are reasons for affording it Vulnerable status.

History:

2006	–	Vulnerable (IUCN 2006)
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The species occurs in the Inyanga Highlands of eastern Zimbabwe between latitudes 18°S and 20°S, and altitudes of 850–2,000 m, with a marginal intrusion into the Vila Perey district of western Mozambique.
Countries:	Native: Mozambique; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Locally common but no abundance data.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Favours loamy soils in montane grasslands and the fringes of rainforests, but is dependent on areas with less cover (Lundholm 1955), and does not penetrate deep into forests (Smithers and Lobao-Tello 1976, Smithers and Wilson 1979). Also common in cultivated lands and gardens.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Habitat alteration associated with political instability and land transformation initiatives in Zimbabwe, and a breakdown of conservation management in protected areas, is likely to be a major threat. The extent and intensity thereof, and impacts on this species, are not known. Predation by domestic cats and dogs probably represents a more localized threat.

Major Threat(s):

Habitat alteration associated with political instability and land transformation initiatives in Zimbabwe, and a breakdown of conservation management in protected areas, is likely to be a major threat. The extent and intensity thereof, and impacts on this species, are not known. Predation by domestic cats and dogs probably represents a more localized threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Occurs in the following conservation areas: Inyanga National Park; Mtarazi Falls National Park; Chimanimani National Park; Vumba Botanical Reserve; and Bunga Forest Reserve. However, recent reports suggest that baseline management and policing of these conservation areas has collapsed owing to political and economic instability, so the extent of protection these areas afford is uncertain.

Conservation Actions:

Occurs in the following conservation areas: Inyanga National Park; Mtarazi Falls National Park; Chimanimani National Park; Vumba Botanical Reserve; and Bunga Forest Reserve. However, recent reports suggest that baseline management and policing of these conservation areas has collapsed owing to political and economic instability, so the extent of protection these areas afford is uncertain.

Citation:	Bronner, G. 2008. Carpitalpa arendsi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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