Heterocephalidae

Heterocephalidae is a small family of rodents within the superfamily Bathyergoidea, in the infraorder Hystricomorpha. It is a monotypic family, containing the genus Heterocephalus, whose sole extant species is the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber).

Distribution and habitat: The naked mole-rat is native to East Africa, occurring in sandy soils across parts of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and neighboring areas. It inhabits underground burrow systems that it excavates for foraging, thermoregulation, and protection from predators, often in arid or semi-arid environments.

Morphology and ecology: Naked mole-rats are small, nearly hairless rodents with pigmented skin and very small eyes, adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They feed primarily on underground plant roots and tubers, using their powerful incisors to dig and harvest food. Their colonies maintain extensive burrow networks with distinct chambers for nesting, food storage, and waste.

Behavior and social structure: Heterocephalidae species are eusocial, a rare mammalian example of complex social organization. Colonies typically consist of a single breeding queen, several breeding males, and a large workforce of nonreproductive individuals. Reproduction is suppressed in most members, with the queen incubating offspring through gestation and giving birth to multiple pups per litter. The social system includes cooperative care of young and division of labor among castes.

Physiology and longevity: Naked mole-rats show remarkable adaptations to low-oxygen and high-CO2 environments, extensive cancer resistance in some studies, and unusually long lifespans for rodents, commonly living decades in captivity. While not endangered, their habitat and behavior have made them a valuable subject for aging, cancer, and physiological research.

Conservation status: The naked mole-rat is listed as Least Concern by major conservation authorities, reflecting its wide distribution and stable populations in suitable habitats.