Communications Biology (Jun 2022)

Fossorial adaptations in African mole-rats (Bathyergidae) and the unique appendicular phenotype of naked mole-rats

Germán Montoya-Sanhueza,
Gabriel Šaffa,
Radim Šumbera,
Anusuya Chinsamy,
Jennifer U. M. Jarvis,
Nigel C. Bennett

Affiliations

Germán Montoya-Sanhueza: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia
Gabriel Šaffa: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia
Radim Šumbera: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia
Anusuya Chinsamy: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3
Jennifer U. M. Jarvis: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3
Nigel C. Bennett: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03480-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

Morphological and developmental analyses demonstrated that the naked mole-rats are the least anatomically specialized bathyergid for scratch-digging. Developmental, ecological and historical factors may be involved in such peculiar phenotype

Published in Communications Biology

ISSN: 2399-3642 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.nature.com/commsbio/

About the journal