biology

Grant's golden mole

Grant's golden mole is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Grant's golden mole rather than just read about it. In short: Grant's golden mole (Eremitalpa granti; colloquially also: dune shark) is a golden mole species. It is the only member of the genus Eremitalpa.

Key takeaways

Grant's golden mole belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Grant's golden mole to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Grant's golden mole from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Grant's golden mole (Eremitalpa granti; colloquially also: dune shark) is a golden mole species. It is the only member of the genus Eremitalpa.

Description Like all other golden moles, the build of these animals is similar to the moles, though they are not closely related, and are adapted to a life of digging. The front extremities are remodelled to digging claws; in contrast to most other species of its family, they have three claws each. The tail is physically not visible, there are no auricles, the eyes are covered with fur, and the mouth is bearing a leather-like pad, which also serves for digging. Grant's golden moles have long silky fur, which is coloured grey on cubs and sandy on older animals. With a length of 7.5 to 9 cm (3.0 to 3.5 in) and a weight of 15 to 25 g (0.53 to 0.88 oz) it is the smallest member of family Chrysocholoridae.

Geographical distribution and habitat Grant's golden mole lives on the western coast of South Africa and in south western Namibia. Its natural habitat is dry areas, mostly sandy deserts.

Diet and social behaviour

In contrast to many other golden moles, Grant's golden mole rarely builds lasting tunnels. It "swims" through the sand just under or on the surface while searching for food. It is mainly a nocturnal animal, resting by day in small caves beneath sheltering plants. It is a solitary animal, with stomping grounds averaging 4.6 ha. When foraging at night, the animal will alternate between moving over the surface sand, dipping its head into the substrate (detecting low frequency vibrations through the ground) and "swimming" through the sand. Besides termites (which constitute the majority of its food) and other invertebrates, its diet consists of reptiles such as skinks.

Taxonomy There are two subspecies:

West Coast dune golden mole (Eremitalpa granti ssp. granti) Namib golden mole (Eremitalpa granti ssp. namibensis)

Conservation status This species has been classified by the IUCN Red List as LC (Least Concern) globally. However, the Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa regards the nominate subspecies as a Vulnerable species.

References

Further reading Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9. Bronner, G.N.; Jenkins, P.D. (2005). "Order Afrosoricida". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 71–81. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. Rundell, Katherine (2022). Consider the Golden Mole. Faber & Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-36249-3.

External links Grant's golden moles at Afrotheria Specialist Group, with pictures and link to maps of habitats

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Grant's golden mole

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Grant's golden mole claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Grant's golden mole before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Grant's golden mole ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Grant's golden mole

In research: Grant's golden mole appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Grant's golden mole in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Grant's golden mole is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Afrosoricida, IUCN Red List least concern species, Least concern biota of Africa, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Grant's golden mole outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Grant's golden mole in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Grant's golden mole means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Grant's golden mole out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Grant's golden mole in simple terms?

Grant's golden mole (Eremitalpa granti; colloquially also: dune shark) is a golden mole species. It is the only member of the genus Eremitalpa.

Why does Grant's golden mole matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Grant's golden mole?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Grant's golden mole.