Star-nosed mole

Taxonomy

Condylura cristata taxonomy

	Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family	Genus	Species
Classification	Animalia	Chordata	Mammalia	Eulipotyphia	Talpidae	Condylura	C. cristata

Anatomy

The star-nosed mole is most easily identifiable by its nose, which has 22 tendrils that the mole uses to sense its environment. Star-nosed moles are functionally blind and rely on their nose for navigation and identification. Even though the size of their nose is around 1 centimeter, it is covered in 25,000 sensory receptor organs known as Eimer's organ. Most moles have many of these sensory organs but star-nosed moles have the highest number of them. For comparison, star-nosed moles have around 6 times more sensory organs in their noses than humans have on their hand, meaning that their noses are highly sensitive. Due to their sensitivity, these receptors aid moles in locating and identifying possible food sources and navigating their environment.

Habitat and range

Star-nosed moles live in moist lowland habitats in the eastern half of North America. They can be found in multiple different biomes, including forests, marshes, shrubland, and mountains. They are semi-aquatic mammals and prefer wet environments but have been found in drier habitats as well.

Diet and behaviors

Star-nosed moles are primarily vermivorous, meaning that they feed on organisms such as annelids and nematodes. They also eat insects, larvae, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. They are excellent swimmers and forage for food on the bottom of freshwater bodies of water. They also forage in soil by creating shallow tunnels beneath the surface. Moles can be viewed as pests because their burrowing behavior can damage lawns and gardens. However, moles play an important role in eliminating any potential harmful insects and aerating the soil, creating a more productive environment.