taxonID	type	description	language	source
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Tables 3, 4, 5, 6, 7	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov. is clearly distinguished from congeners by its extremely short, vestigial tail, which protrudes slightly less than 2 mm beyond the skin surface. It is entirely covered by short, sparse bristle hairs that progressively lengthen toward the distal end, reaching approximately twice the length of the underlying tail. The tail is composed of only six or seven caudal vertebrae, significantly fewer than in other Euroscaptor species. The interorbital region is moderately narrow, with the inter-foraminal distance between the infraorbital foramina being conspicuously constricted. The zygomatic arches are weakly developed but exhibit an atypically elongated form. The osseous junction between the infraorbital foramina and the palate is slender and lacks lateral expansion. In lingual view of mandible, the fourth lower premolar and all three lower molars have crowns that are broader than height, with overall small tooth dimensions. The mandible is delicate, characterized by a narrow ascending ramus and fragile angular process. The pelvic girdle is delicate, markedly reduced in both size and structural robustness.	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	description	Description of the holotype. External morphology. The holotype of Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov. (NTS. 2024. PL. 021) is an adult male with a compact body and small overall size (HB = 115.71 mm) (Table 3). The body is stream-lined and the head is conical, tapering smoothly anteriorly toward the snout. The body appears muscular, with a thick neck and prominent scapular region. The thorax and abdomen are proportionally broad, and the trunk is laterally compressed in dorsal view. The snout is elongated, naked, and prominently pink, with the distal portion slightly expanded into a bulbous structure. Numerous minute wart-like protuberances and well-developed vibrissae are present on the lateral and dorsal surface of the rhinarium for highly tactile function. The eyes are vestigial and not externally visible, deeply recessed beneath the skin. External pinnae are entirely absent. The nostrils open anteriorly and slightly laterally. The forelimbs are robust, with large palms and hyperdeveloped claws. Digits III and IV possess broad, chisel-shaped claws, while digit I bears a shorter but similarly broadened claw. The hindlimbs are more gracile but remain sturdy. The palms and soles are sparsely covered in naked skin and bear slightly keratinized pads. Pelage coloration. Dense, plush, and velvety, the dorsal pelage is a uniform dark greyish-black, with a faint silvery reflection on the hair tips creating a subtly iridescent, metallic sheen under direct light. The lateral flanks blend seamlessly into the ventral region. The ventral fur is slightly lighter, ranging from dusky grey to smoky brown, most prominent around the throat, chest, and inguinal regions. The fur around the muzzle, vibrissae base, and forefoot digits is short and uniform in color. The forefeet and hindfeet are sparsely furred and show exposed pinkish skin around the digits and palms. The tail is uniformly dark grey and bristle-covered. Tail and caudal vertebrae. The tail of E. darwini is extremely short, vestigial, with only approximately 1.5 mm protruding beyond the skin surface. The tail is nearly flush with the skin surface, with only a minute tip visible beyond the pelage. It is completely covered in sparse, short bristle-like hairs, forming a slightly tufted appearance. Osteological examination revealed a reduction in tail length, underlain by the presence of only 6 caudal vertebrae which is representing the most extreme case of caudal shortening documented within Euroscaptor (Fig. 5). Forefeet and claws. The forefeet are proportionally large and robust, with hypertrophied palms and prominent digital claws, particularly on digits III and IV. The first digit bears a shorter but stout claw. The claws are strongly recurved and lightly pigmented with ivory tips. Hindfeet are slender, lacking the specialization seen in the forefeet. Cranium morphology. The cranium is diminutive, lightly built, and slender in profile, with a greatest length (GLS) of 30.51 mm falling within the lower size range documented for Euroscaptor species in Vietnam (Table 4). The rostrum is proportionally short and gradually tapered anteriorly, forming a triangular outline in dorsal view. In lateral aspect, the rostral region is straight and only slightly arched dorsally. The braincase is moderately inflated with a smoothly domed dorsal surface. The interorbital region is nearly parallel-sided, maintaining consistent height from the frontals to the parietals. The sagittal crest is absent, and the lambdoidal crest is low and rounded, contributing to the smooth contour of the posterior cranial vault. The zygomatic arches are poorly developed, lacking the thickened and laterally expanded morphology seen in larger species (Fig. 5 c). The infraorbital foramina are small and positioned close to the anterior margin of the maxillae. The auditory bullae are dorsoventrally flattened, not extending beyond the posterior margin of the skull, and lacking any significant lateral inflation. The occipital region is gently rounded, with no prominent ridges or projections. Mandible and dentition. The mandible of holotype is delicate and moderately arched, with a slender ascending ramus and a weakly developed angular process. The lower border of the mandible is gently concave; the coronoid process is narrow and slightly recurved. The mandibular condyle is small, and the mandibular symphysis is short and tightly fused. The species retains the primitive fossorial mole dental formula: I 3 / 3, C 1 / 1, P 4 / 4, M 3 / 3 = 44. The first upper incisor (I 1) slightly recurved posteriorly and has a prominent cutting edge. I 2 and I 3 are slightly smaller than I 1, closely aligned, and gradually taper in height and volume. In the lower jaw, the first incisor (i 1) is small and curves slightly forward, while i 2 and i 3 are smaller and aligned along the lateral mandibular toothrow. The upper canines (C 1) are moderate in size, conical, and do not protrude strongly beyond the adjacent teeth, while the lower canines (c 1) are similar in shape to the three lower incisors. The premolars (P 1 – P 4 / p 1 – p 4) are asymmetrical in size. In the upper jaw, P 2 is the smallest of the series, whereas P 4 is the largest and more robust in overall dimensions — nearly 2.5 times the size of P 2. P 1 and P 3 are almost equal in crown height. In the lower jaw, there is a clear size progression, with p 4 being the largest. The p 1 and p 4 are subequal, while p 2 is slightly reduced. The upper molars (M 1 – M 3) exhibit a narrow lingual margin, and instead of hypocones, they possess well-developed metaconules, especially on P 2 and P 1, which are clearly visible from the lingual view. M 3 displays a triangular occlusal outline, with a prominent trigon and an anteriorly shifted protocone. The lower molars (m 1 – m 3) lack hypoconulids, and cuspid separation is relatively weak. Pelvic morphology. The pelvic girdle is slender and reduced in overall robustness. The ischia are shortened and thin, contributing to a narrow pelvic outlet (Fig. 5). The sacral vertebrae articulate weakly with the ilia, and the pelvis shows no evidence of expanded muscle attachment sites.	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	description	Female secondary sexual characters. The adult female paratype (NTS. 2025. PL. 02) exhibits clearly identifiable sexual characteristics indicative of reproductive maturity (Fig. 6). External morphological inspection reveals the presence of two pairs of inguinal mammae, symmetrically positioned along the lower abdomen. The nipples are well-developed and slightly protruding, with the surrounding fur slightly parted. The most prominent external feature is a conspicuous pale-yellow ventral pattern, extending longitudinally from the lower thoracic region to the pelvic area. The streak is localized along the midline, forming a contrast with the darker grey – brown ventral pelage, and is absent in male and non-breeding female specimens examined in the series. This individual was confirmed to be gravid at the time of capture, based on visible abdominal distension and the presence of developing embryos upon dissection.	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet darwini honors the eminent naturalist Charles Darwin, whose foundational contributions to evolutionary biology have profoundly influenced modern systematics and the understanding of speciation. Darwin’s insights have had a particularly strong impact on the authors of this study. We propose “ Darwin’s mole ” as the English common name, and “ Chu ột chũi Darwin ” as the Vietnamese common name, reflecting the most prominent morphological trait and honoring the individual commemorated.	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
4E787F9992EF55A88E4917C3F85D68BC.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov. is currently known only from its type locality within Pu Luong NR, Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam. All known specimens were collected along a forested elevational transect on the southwestern ridge of Pu Luong Mountain, at altitudes ranging from 900 to 1100 meters a. s. l.	en	Nguyen, Son Truong, Bui, Hai Tuan, Dau, Vinh Quang, Le, Phuong Dinh, Vu, Yen Huong (2025): Euroscaptor darwini sp. nov., a new species of mole (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae) from the north-central mountains in Vietnam. ZooKeys 1255: 239-274, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1255.161942
