![]() Shawkey, 25 January 2012, Biology Letters. Snyder, Rafael Maia, Liliana D’Alba, Allison J. Reference: “Iridescent colour production in hairs of blind golden moles ( Chrysochloridae)” by Holly K. It is similar to the European mole, differing most prominently in having eyes covered with skin. The authors hypothesize that the iridescence of these animals is a by-product of adaptation for durable, low-friction pelts to make burrowing easier. What moles are blind The blind mole (Talpa caeca), also known as the Mediterranean mole, is a mole found in the Mediterranean region. ![]() The study also examined the color, morphology and optical mechanisms in these hairs. The four examined golden mole species have sheens ranging from purple to green. Although many mole species are blind, some may discern light from dark and, despite the flaps over their ears, they have keen hearing. It was thought that like other metazoans, the mammalian integument is limited in color. Iridescence is widespread among birds and arthropods, but only rarely seen in mammals. The four studied mole species are blind, so it’s very unlikely that this evolved as sexual ornamentation. These hairs produce iridescence by a phenomenon called thin-film interference. ![]() ![]() The iridescent hairs were highly flattened with much smaller scales, which form multiple layers, alternating between light and dark colors, than their counterparts. The study was published recently in the journal Biology Letters. Matthew Shawkey, a biologist at the University of Akron, Ohio, and his colleagues conducted the first detailed study of the iridescent out hairs and non-iridescent downy hairs from four species of golden moles. ![]()
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