eastern mole

{{Short description|Species of mammal}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Eastern mole{{MSW3 Hutterer|pages=301–302}}

| image = ScalopusAquaticus.jpg

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref ={{cite iucn |author1=Matson, J. |author2=Woodman, N. |author3=Castro-Arellano, I. |author4=de Grammont, P.C. |year=2016 |title=Scalopus aquaticus |errata=2017 |page=e.T41471A115188304 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41471A22319923.en |access-date=11 March 2022}}

| genus = Scalopus

| parent_authority = É. Geoffroy, 1803

| species = aquaticus

| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

| range_map = Eastern Mole area.png

| range_map_caption = Eastern mole range

| synonyms = Sorex aquaticus Linnaeus, 1758

}}

File:Eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus) skeleton 2.jpg

File:Taupinière - mole-hill.JPG

The eastern mole or common mole (Scalopus aquaticus) is a medium-sized North American mole. It is the only species in the genus Scalopus. It is found in forested and open areas with moist sandy soils in northern Mexico, the eastern United States and the southwestern corner of Ontario in Canada.

The eastern mole has grey-brown fur with silver-grey underparts, a pointed nose and a short tail. It is about {{convert|16|cm|in}} in length including a {{convert|3|cm|in}} long tail and weighs about {{convert|75|g|oz}}. Its front paws are broad and spade-shaped, specialized for digging. It has 36 teeth. Its eyes are covered by fur and its ears are not visible.

The eastern mole spends most of its time underground, foraging in shallow burrows for earthworms, grubs, beetles, insect larvae and some plant matter. It is active year-round. It is mainly solitary except during mating in early spring. The female has a litter of two to five young in a deep burrow.

In Canada, the eastern mole is limited to about 2,600 acres in southern Ontario, primarily in Essex and Kent Counties. it prefers soft, sandy, or muddy soils and avoids clay or gravel, making its suitable habitat highly limited.{{cite web |last=Waldron |first=G. |title=Range, habitat, and population size of the Eastern Mole, Scalopus aquaticus, in Canada. |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/363987 }}