Spalax is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, subfamily Spalacinae (blind mole-rats). It is one of two extant genera in the subfamily Spalacinae, alongside Nannospalax. [2] Species in this genus are found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia. [3] They are completely blind and have a subterranean lifestyle. [4]

Some authorities treat all species as belonging to a single genus, Spalax, but more recent studies indicate a deep divergence between both lineages dating back to the Late Miocene, supporting them as being distinct genera. [1] [2] Blind mole-rat diggings. Spalacinae mole-rats are …

The greater blind mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus) is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. [2] It is found in Russia and Ukraine.

There are two genera of blind mole rats: lesser, or Mediterranean, blind mole rats (three species in the genus Nannospalax) and greater, or Ukrainian, blind mole rats (five species in the genus Spalax).

2023年9月21日 · Spalax microphthalmus, the greater blind mole-rat, is plentiful in Ukraine and Russia in the vast, agriculturally rich area between the Dnieper and Volga Rivers. It lives in fertile, rich soil such as that found in forests, cultivated fields, gardens, and orchards.

3 天之前 · Blind mole rats, or Spalax, present a fascinating case study in evolutionary biology due to their unique adaptation of living underground without functional vision. Despite lacking typical sight capabilities, these rodents detect and respond to light, which plays a crucial role in their survival and daily functioning.

2013年8月9日 · This report provides pioneering evidence that Spalax is not only resistant to spontaneous cancer but also to experimentally induced cancer, and shows the unique ability of Spalax normal fibroblasts to inhibit growth and kill cancer cells, but not normal cells, either through direct fibroblast-cancer cell interaction or via soluble factors.

2009年2月20日 · Spalax (blind subterranean mole rat), is a mammal adapted to live in fluctuating oxygen levels, and can survive severe hypoxia and hypercapnia. The adaptive evolution of Spalax to underground life resulted in structural and molecular-genetic differences comparing to above-ground mammals. These differences include higher myocardial maximal ...

The blind subterranean mole rat Spalax shows a remarkable tolerance to hypoxia, cancer-resistance and longevity. Unravelling the genomic basis of these adaptations will be important for biomedical applications. RNA-Seq gene expression data were ...

It was formerly classified in the genus Spalax, but more recent phylogenetic evidence supports it and two other species belonging to the genus Nannospalax. Of the three Nannospalax species, N. ehrenbergi is the only one to also belong to the subgenus Nannospalax (unless the potential species within N. ehrenbergi are also considered their own ...