The analysis revealed that the marsupial mole, known as itjaritjari to Indigenous Anangu people, is strikingly similar to true moles but is more closely related to bandicoots and bilbies.
The study highlighted that the marsupial mole possesses an additional gene for haemoglobin, which may be an adaptation to life in low-oxygen environments underground.
Lead author Dr. Stephen Frankenberg explained that the species likely lost its eyesight gradually over millions of years, beginning with the deterioration of its lens.
Professor Mike Archer noted that the marsupial mole's ancestry points back to rainforest environments in Queensland, contrasting sharply with its current arid habitats in Australia.
Collection
[
|
...
]