Heterocephalus glaber

(Rüppell, 1842)

Vernacular names
English : Naked mole-rat
French : Rat-taupe nu

Classification
Class : Mammalia
Order : Rodentia
Family : Bathyergidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can be up to 16 cm long for a weight of 80 g. Queen and breeding males are biggest. Unmistakable. Pink and brown wrinkled skin, nearly hairless. Very long incisors protruding from mouth. Very small eyes.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in Eastern Africa, from Ethiopia to Somalia and Kenya, possibly in Uganda and Tanzania as well. Lives in grasslands and savannas from 1100 to 3000 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not listed
Status : This species has a large range and remains locally very common but monitoring of populations is needed to ensure a secure future.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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