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Hynek Burda - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Kairomone-guided food location in subterranean Zambian Mole-Rats (Cryptomys spp., Bathyergidae)
Folia Zoologica, 2020Co-Authors: Simone Lange, Birgit Neumann, Petra Hagemeyer, Hynek BurdaAbstract:A b s t r a c t . A recent study (H e t h et al. 2002) challenged the idea of “blind” foraging in herbivorous underground dwellers by showing that subterranean rodents of several species use olfaction to discriminate between soils in which plants had or had not been growing. Here we address additional questions about odour-based foraging underground. We tested responses of Zambian Mole-Rats (Cryptomys anselli and C. kafuensis) to putative carrot kairomones using tunnel T-mazes. Mole-Rats distinguished peat moistened with hydroponic as well as filtered hydroponic “carrot water” from peat moistened with distilled water. Furthermore, Mole-Rats detected carrot kairomones that percolated over the course of a week through the soil to a distance of 30 cm. These results demonstrate that 1) Attractiveness of soil is given by contents of primary root kairomones not caused by microbial activity in planted soil. 2) Carrot-kairomones are water-soluble Molecules of less than 0.6 µm diameter. 3) Carrot-kairomones diffuse around the plant, making plants detectable from a distance.
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Temperature preferences of African Mole-Rats (family Bathyergidae).
Journal of Thermal Biology, 2015Co-Authors: Sabine Begall, Andreas Scharff, Meike Berendes, Charlotte K.m. Schielke, Yoshiyuki Henning, Marzena Laghanke, Paul Van Daele, Hynek BurdaAbstract:Abstract Many animals are able to detect small temperature differences and show strong temperature preferences during periods of rest and activity. Mammals inhabiting the subterranean ecotope can adapt their digging and foraging activity in shallow tunnels temporarily to periods with favourable ambient air and soil temperatures. Moreover, subterranean mammals have the unique opportunity to select for their nests in soil depths with certain, daily and seasonally constant temperatures. Our knowledge on nest temperatures in several species of subterranean mammals is based on measurements of temperatures in empty nests. We can expect, however, that the temperature in an occupied nest is higher (due to the “igloo effect”). We performed two experiments regarding the temperature preference in five species of African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia: Fukomys anselli, F. mechowii, F. micklemi, Heliophobius argenteocinereus, and Heterocephalus glaber). In a first experiment, the animals were tested pairwise (except for the solitary silvery Mole-Rats, H. argenteocinereus, that were tested singly) in an apparatus consisting of seven chambers with a temperature gradient ranging between 16 and 37 °C (air temperature). While the smaller species (
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Chemical restraint of African Mole-Rats (Fukomys sp.) with a combination of ketamine and xylazine.
Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 2014Co-Authors: Angelica Garcia Montero, Hynek Burda, Sabine BegallAbstract:Abstract Objective To establish an accurate anaesthetic dose for chemical restraint of African Mole-Rats using ketamine and xylazine. Study design Prospective nonrandomized laboratory study. Animals Sixteen adult Ansell’s Mole-Rats ( Fukomys anselli ) and eight giant Mole-Rats ( F. mechowii ). Methods Fukomys anselli of different ages, sexes and reproductive status were systematically anaesthetized starting with an intramuscular injection of ketamine (2.5 mg kg −1 ) and increasing the doses in steps of 0.5 mg kg −1 until loss of the righting reflex (LRR) was observed. Xylazine was added to a constant dose of ketamine, starting at 0.5 mg kg −1 that was increased by 0.5 mg kg −1 in further trials. Once an effective combination was established and evaluated in F. anselli , it was also tested in F. mechowii . Heart and respiratory rates and rectal temperatures were measured during anaesthesia. anova for repeated measures and Student’s t-test were used to compare means. Results Chemical restraint was accomplished at a dose of 6 mg kg −1 ketamine combined with 2.5 mg kg −1 xylazine. LRR lasted on average mean 56 ± SD 19 minutes ( F. anselli ) and 140 ± 41 minutes ( F. mechowii ). Loss of pedal withdrawal reflex (LPR) lasted for 20 ± 15 minutes ( F. anselli ) and for 29 ± 2 minutes ( F. mechowii ), respectively. All animals recovered satisfactorily. Heart and respiratory rates were stable during anaesthesia, but rectal temperature fell significantly in F. mechowii after losing the righting reflex (LRR) from T1 (32.6 ± 0.6 °C) to T3 (30.4 ± 0.9 °C). Conclusions and Clinical relevance African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae) live in closed burrow systems under particular conditions (hypercapnia, hypoxia, stable temperature, humidity, darkness) and show several physiological adaptations. Injectable anaesthetics in the dose rates used in other rodents are not appropriate for use in these subterranean species. Here, a reliable protocol for chemical restraint is provided.
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To mate or not to mate? Mate preference and fidelity in monogamous Ansell's Mole-Rats, Fukomys anselli, Bathyergidae
Folia Zoologica, 2012Co-Authors: Marie-therese Bappert, Hynek Burda, Sabine BegallAbstract:According to a hypothesis addressing the evolution of eusociality in Mole-Rats, the female (queen) is not able to raise her (first) offspring without a mate and thus to found a family. Therefore, we predict that the reproductive male (king) has to be socially faithful. In this study we tested this prediction and addressed the related question whether or not the presentation of a new female provokes enhanced sexual interest in male Ansell's Mole-Rats (Fukomys anselli).We performed behavioral partner preference tests in Ansell's Mole-Rats where two animals of choice were presented to a subject without allowing direct access. The kings spent significantly more time sniffing an unfamiliar queen or female than their own mate. If given the choice between an unfamiliar queen and her respective non-reproductive daughter, however, the tested kings significantly preferred the queen. In contrast, queens did not show a preference for either their own mate, an unrelated unfamiliar king, or a non-reproductive male.In a second experiment, we allowed the males to access the compartment of an unfamiliar female while their respective family stayed in an adjacent compartment. Only the non-reproductive adult males seized their chances to copulate with the unfamiliar female whereas the kings remained faithful. When reversing the test condition (i.e. females were given access to an unfamiliar male), aggressiveness of the males impeded sexual encounters in most cases. We recorded only three copulations, all of them between queens and non-reproductive males.We conclude that the reproductive status is crucial for reproductive decisions. Furthermore, the presence of family members influences the kings' behavior. Since in Ansell's Mole-Rats, repeated copulations over a longer period of cohabitation are necessary for ovulation and fertilization, the kings' sexual fidelity could have been expected. We postulate that the maintenance of Ansell's Mole-Rats' families depends on the kings' faithfulness.
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extended longevity of reproductives appears to be common in fukomys Mole Rats rodentia bathyergidae
PLOS ONE, 2011Co-Authors: Philip Dammann, Radim Šumbera, Christina Masmann, Andre Scherag, Hynek BurdaAbstract:African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) contain several social, cooperatively breeding species with low extrinsic mortality and unusually high longevity. All social bathyergids live in multigenerational families where reproduction is skewed towards a few breeding individuals. Most of their offspring remain as reproductively inactive “helpers” in their natal families, often for several years. This “reproductive subdivision” of Mole-rat societies might be of interest for ageing research, as in at least one social bathyergid (Ansell's Mole-Rats Fukomys anselli), breeders have been shown to age significantly slower than non-breeders. These animals thus provide excellent conditions for studying the epigenetics of senescence by comparing divergent longevities within the same genotypes without the inescapable short-comings of inter-species comparisons. It has been claimed that many if not all social Mole-rat species may have evolved similar ageing patterns, too. However, this remains unclear on account of the scarcity of reliable datasets on the subject. We therefore analyzed a 20-year breeding record of Giant Mole-Rats Fukomys mechowii, another social bathyergid species. We found that breeders indeed lived significantly longer than helpers (ca. 1.5–2.2fold depending on the sex), irrespective of social rank or other potentially confounding factors. Considering the phylogenetic positions of F. mechowii and F. anselli and unpublished data on a third Fukomys-species (F. damarensis) showing essentially the same pattern, it seems probable that the reversal of the classic trade-off between somatic maintenance and sexual reproduction is characteristic of the whole genus and hence of the vast majority of social Mole-Rats.
Eviatar Nevo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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activity of free living subterranean blind Mole Rats spalax galili rodentia spalacidae in an area of supposed sympatric speciation
Biological Journal of The Linnean Society, 2016Co-Authors: Jan Skliba, Eviatar Nevo, Matěj Lovy, Stephan C W Koeppen, Lucie Plestilova, Milos Vitamvas, Radim ŠumberaAbstract:Subterranean rodents forage underground, which is energetically costly. Therefore, they can be expected to economize burrowing activity in response to food supply and soil characteristics. We analyzed the activity of radio-tracked blind Mole Rats, Spalax galili, on a locality sharply subdivided into harder but relatively food-rich, basaltic soil and softer, relatively food-poor rendzina. It was recently proposed that the Mole Rats in this locality are undergoing sympatric ecological speciation. We predicted that Mole Rats from basaltic soil would be less active than those from rendzina as a result of the reduced need for burrowing to reach food. By contrast to our predictions, Mole Rats from basaltic soil were more frequently located outside the nest and observed pushing soil above ground. We suggest that this is a result of territorial behaviour due to high population density. All Mole Rats exhibited a unimodal daily activity pattern likely related to temperature. Large males had large but gradually decreasing home-ranges, likely indicating the end of the mating season. We conclude that the ecological differences between the habitats cause behavioural differences in the Mole Rats, which indicates different selection pressures. The genetic divergence previously found between the populations might have arisen via density-dependent selection.
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corrigendum genome wide adaptive complexes to underground stresses in blind Mole Rats spalax
Nature Communications, 2015Co-Authors: Xiaodong Fang, Eviatar Nevo, Aaron Avivi, Erez Y Levanon, Jing Zhao, Denis M Larkin, Xuanting Jiang, Sergey Feranchuk, Alla Fishman, Yue FengAbstract:Corrigendum: Genome-wide adaptive complexes to underground stresses in blind Mole Rats Spalax
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adaptation of pelage color and pigment variations in israeli subterranean blind Mole Rats spalax ehrenbergi
PLOS ONE, 2013Co-Authors: Natarajan Singaravelan, Avigdor Beiles, Shay Tzur, Shirli Belifante, Tomas Pavlicek, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Eviatar NevoAbstract:The word "ehrenbergi," as part of a species name, was incorrectly capitalized in the title. The correct title is: Adaptation of Pelage Color and Pigment Variations in Israeli Subterranean Blind Mole Rats, Spalax ehrenbergi. The correct citation is: Singaravelan N, Raz S, Tzur S, Belifante S, Pavlicek T, et al. (2013) Adaptation of Pelage Color and Pigment Variations in Israeli Subterranean Blind Mole Rats, Spalax ehrenbergi. PLoS ONE 8(7): e69346. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069346.
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Brain organization and evolution in subterranean Mole Rats
Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 2009Co-Authors: P. Pirlot, Eviatar NevoAbstract:Relative brain component sizes have been analyzed in subterranean Mole Rats of the Spalax ehren-bergi superspecies in Israel. Our results indicate that brain size and brain component sizes may have evolved in association with specific stresses underground involving the distinct development of vocalzation, olfaction and tactile sensory communication systems all compensating for the loss of vision.
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Do Spalax ehrenbergi blind Mole Rats use food odours in searching for and selecting food
Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 2000Co-Authors: Giora Heth, Josephine Todrank, Eviatar NevoAbstract:This laboratory study examined responses of Israeli blind subterranean Mole Rats (of the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies) to food odours (Narcissus tazetta and Urginea maritima bulbs) and assessed to what extent Mole Rats’ odour preferences are indicative of their food preferences and whether these preferences influence their foraging behaviour. Prior to odour testing, Mole Rats ate Narcissus bulbs preferentially and avoided Urginea bulbs when both types of bulbs were available, as is the case in nature. In phase 1, Mole Rats (n = 20) spent significantly more time sniffing the odour of Narcissus bulbs than the odour of Urginea bulbs, indicating a preference for the odour of the preferred bulb. In phase 2 in a six-tunnel radial arm maze, the presence of preferred or non-preferred food odours at the ends of the 20 em tunnels did not affect Mole Rats’ (n = 12) movement into the tunnels. The results suggest that Mole Rats can identify food items by their odours and thus can discriminate between edible (e.g., N...
Nigel C Bennett - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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no evidence for multimodal body mass distributions and body mass related capture order in wild caught damaraland Mole Rats
Mammalian Biology, 2019Co-Authors: Cornelia Voigt, Andries Ter Maat, Nigel C BennettAbstract:Division of labour among workers is a universal property of eusocial insect societies. For Damaraland Mole-Rats (Fukomys damarensis), a eusocial mammal, it was proposed that workers can be divided into morphologically distinct (in terms of body mass) subcastes of frequent and infrequent workers. Here we investigate, by using capture data from a large number of colonies of Damaraland Mole-Rats, if body mass is multimodally distributed, which may be indicative of worker subcastes and, further, if there is a relationship between body mass and capture order, which may be indicative of morphological specialization for colony defence. Our analysis reveals unimodal body mass distributions for both sexes. Further, there is no evidence for body mass-related differences between individuals in the capture order. These data suggest that body mass is not an indicator of behavioural specialization in Damaraland Mole-Rats.
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allo parental care in damaraland Mole Rats is female biased and age dependent though independent of testosterone levels
Physiology & Behavior, 2018Co-Authors: Nigel C Bennett, Philippe Vullioud, Markus Zöttl, D Gaynor, T H Cluttonbrock, Katy Goddard, Miquel TorrentsticoAbstract:Abstract In Damaraland Mole-Rats (Fukomys damarensis), non-breeding subordinates contribute to the care of offspring born to the breeding pair in their group by carrying and retrieving young to the nest. In social Mole-Rats and some cooperative breeders, dominant females show unusually high testosterone levels and it has been suggested that high testosterone levels may increase reproductive and aggressive behavior and reduce investment in allo-parental and parental care, generating age and state-dependent variation in behavior. Here we show that, in Damaraland Mole-Rats, allo-parental care in males and females is unaffected by experimental increases in testosterone levels. Pup carrying decreases with age of the non-breeding helper while the change in social status from non-breeder to breeder has contrasting effects in the two sexes. Female breeders were more likely than female non-breeders to carry pups but male breeders were less likely to carry pups than male non-breeders, increasing the sex bias in parental care compared to allo-parental care. Our results indicate that testosterone is unlikely to be an important regulator of allo-parental care in Mole-Rats.
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Supplementary Material from Evidence for contrasting roles for prolactin in eusocial naked Mole-Rats, Heterocephalus glaber and Damaraland Mole-Rats, Fukomys damarensis
2018Co-Authors: Nigel C Bennett, Jennifer U M Jarvis, Andre Ganswindt, Stefanie Birgit Ganswindt, M. Zoettl, Chris G FaulkesAbstract:Elevated prolactin (PRL) has been associated with the expression of social and cooperative behaviours in a number of vertebrate species, as well as suppression of reproduction. As social Mole-Rats exhibit both of these traits, PRL is a prime candidate in mediating their social phenotype. While naked and Damaraland Mole-Rats (NMRs and DMRs) have evolved eusociality independently within their family, both species exhibit an extreme skew in lifetime reproductive success, with breeding restricted to a single female and one or two males. Non-breeding NMRs of both sexes are physiologically inhibited from reproducing, while in DMRs only the non-breeding females are physiologically suppressed. Newly emerging work has implicated the dopamine system and PRL as a component in socially induced reproductive suppression and eusociality in NMR, but the DMR remains unstudied in this context. To investigate evolutionary convergence in the role of PRL in shaping African Mole-rat eusociality, we determined plasma PRL concentrations in breeders and non-breeders of both sexes, comparing DMRs with NMRs. Among samples from non-breeding NMRs 80% had detectable plasma PRL concentrations. As a benchmark, these often (37%) exceeding those considered clinically hyperprolactinaemic (25 ng ml −1 ) in humans: mean ± s.e.m.: 34.81 ± 5.87 ngml −1 ; range 0.00–330.30 ng ml −1 . Conversely, 85% of non-breeding DMR samples had undetectable values and none had concentrations above 25 ng ml −1 : 0.71 ± 0.38 ng ml −1 ; 0.00–23.87 ngml −1 . Breeders in both species had the expected variance in plasma PRL concentrations as part of normal reproductive function, with lactating queens having significantly higher values. These results suggest that while elevated PRL in non-breeders is implicated in NMR eusociality, this may not be the case in DMRs, and suggests a lack of evolutionary convergence in the proximate control of the social phenotype in these Mole-Rats.
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evidence for contrasting roles for prolactin in eusocial naked Mole Rats heterocephalus glaber and damaraland Mole Rats fukomys damarensis
Biology Letters, 2018Co-Authors: Nigel C Bennett, Markus Zöttl, Jennifer U M Jarvis, Andre Ganswindt, Stefanie Birgit Ganswindt, Chris G FaulkesAbstract:Elevated prolactin (PRL) has been associated with the expression of social and cooperative behaviours in a number of vertebrate species, as well as suppression of reproduction. As social Mole-Rats exhibit both of these traits, PRL is a prime candidate in mediating their social phenotype. While naked and Damaraland Mole-Rats (NMRs and DMRs) have evolved eusociality independently within their family, both species exhibit an extreme skew in lifetime reproductive success, with breeding restricted to a single female and one or two males. Non-breeding NMRs of both sexes are physiologically inhibited from reproducing, while in DMRs only the non-breeding females are physiologically suppressed. Newly emerging work has implicated the dopamine system and PRL as a component in socially induced reproductive suppression and eusociality in NMR, but the DMR remains unstudied in this context. To investigate evolutionary convergence in the role of PRL in shaping African Mole-rat eusociality, we determined plasma PRL concentrations in breeders and non-breeders of both sexes, comparing DMRs with NMRs. Among samples from non-breeding NMRs 80% had detectable plasma PRL concentrations. As a benchmark, these often (37%) exceeding those considered clinically hyperprolactinaemic (25 ng ml −1 ) in humans: mean ± s.e.m.: 34.81 ± 5.87 ngml −1 ; range 0.00–330.30 ng ml −1 . Conversely, 85% of non-breeding DMR samples had undetectable values and none had concentrations above 25 ng ml −1 : 0.71 ± 0.38 ng ml −1 ; 0.00–23.87 ngml −1 . Breeders in both species had the expected variance in plasma PRL concentrations as part of normal reproductive function, with lactating queens having significantly higher values. These results suggest that while elevated PRL in non-breeders is implicated in NMR eusociality, this may not be the case in DMRs, and suggests a lack of evolutionary convergence in the proximate control of the social phenotype in these Mole-Rats.
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Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in captive Emin’s Mole-Rats, Heliophobius emini (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)
Journal of Mammalogy, 2016Co-Authors: Simone Ackermann, Nigel C Bennett, Jestina V. Katandukila, Maria K. OosthuizenAbstract:Many African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae) exhibit distinct circadian rhythms, despite the fact that they are strictly subterranean and are very infrequently exposed to light. We investigated the circadian system of Emin’s Mole-Rats ( Heliophobius emini ) by exposing 13 individuals to different lighting regimes. The Mole-Rats were subjected to a standard 12-h light:12-h dark light cycle, followed by a constant darkness (DD) cycle to evaluate entrainment and endogenous rhythms of locomotor activity. After allowing the Mole-Rats to re-entrain to a 12L:12D light cycle, the light cycle was inverted to examine the duration of re-entrainment following a drastic change in the light cycle. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of different ambient temperatures on the locomotor activity of the Mole-Rats, and they were thus subjected to a 12D:12L light cycle at 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C. Lastly, Mole-Rats were presented with a long-day (16L:8D) and a short-day (8L: 16D) light cycle to look at the effect on preferred active time. The animals showed a preference for diurnal activity with 9 Mole-Rats entraining to the light cycle, and maintaining clear endogenous rhythms throughout DD. Subjects were excessively slow to re-entrain their activity to the inverted light cycle. When subjected to different ambient temperatures, individuals showed marked increases in average activity at 20°C, with the lowest average activity occurring at 30°C. The Mole-Rats maintained their diurnal preference regardless of day length, condensing their activity during the short-day light cycle, while extending their active period during the long-day cycle. These results suggest that Emin’s Mole-Rats are able to perceive light and entrain their locomotor activity to light cycles, albeit weakly. In addition, ambient temperature influenced the level of overall activity, indicating that these animals may use behavioral thermoregulation to maintain a constant body temperature.
Radim Šumbera - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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activity of free living subterranean blind Mole Rats spalax galili rodentia spalacidae in an area of supposed sympatric speciation
Biological Journal of The Linnean Society, 2016Co-Authors: Jan Skliba, Eviatar Nevo, Matěj Lovy, Stephan C W Koeppen, Lucie Plestilova, Milos Vitamvas, Radim ŠumberaAbstract:Subterranean rodents forage underground, which is energetically costly. Therefore, they can be expected to economize burrowing activity in response to food supply and soil characteristics. We analyzed the activity of radio-tracked blind Mole Rats, Spalax galili, on a locality sharply subdivided into harder but relatively food-rich, basaltic soil and softer, relatively food-poor rendzina. It was recently proposed that the Mole Rats in this locality are undergoing sympatric ecological speciation. We predicted that Mole Rats from basaltic soil would be less active than those from rendzina as a result of the reduced need for burrowing to reach food. By contrast to our predictions, Mole Rats from basaltic soil were more frequently located outside the nest and observed pushing soil above ground. We suggest that this is a result of territorial behaviour due to high population density. All Mole Rats exhibited a unimodal daily activity pattern likely related to temperature. Large males had large but gradually decreasing home-ranges, likely indicating the end of the mating season. We conclude that the ecological differences between the habitats cause behavioural differences in the Mole Rats, which indicates different selection pressures. The genetic divergence previously found between the populations might have arisen via density-dependent selection.
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extended longevity of reproductives appears to be common in fukomys Mole Rats rodentia bathyergidae
PLOS ONE, 2011Co-Authors: Philip Dammann, Radim Šumbera, Christina Masmann, Andre Scherag, Hynek BurdaAbstract:African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) contain several social, cooperatively breeding species with low extrinsic mortality and unusually high longevity. All social bathyergids live in multigenerational families where reproduction is skewed towards a few breeding individuals. Most of their offspring remain as reproductively inactive “helpers” in their natal families, often for several years. This “reproductive subdivision” of Mole-rat societies might be of interest for ageing research, as in at least one social bathyergid (Ansell's Mole-Rats Fukomys anselli), breeders have been shown to age significantly slower than non-breeders. These animals thus provide excellent conditions for studying the epigenetics of senescence by comparing divergent longevities within the same genotypes without the inescapable short-comings of inter-species comparisons. It has been claimed that many if not all social Mole-rat species may have evolved similar ageing patterns, too. However, this remains unclear on account of the scarcity of reliable datasets on the subject. We therefore analyzed a 20-year breeding record of Giant Mole-Rats Fukomys mechowii, another social bathyergid species. We found that breeders indeed lived significantly longer than helpers (ca. 1.5–2.2fold depending on the sex), irrespective of social rank or other potentially confounding factors. Considering the phylogenetic positions of F. mechowii and F. anselli and unpublished data on a third Fukomys-species (F. damarensis) showing essentially the same pattern, it seems probable that the reversal of the classic trade-off between somatic maintenance and sexual reproduction is characteristic of the whole genus and hence of the vast majority of social Mole-Rats.
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Social Structure Predicts Genital Morphology in African Mole-Rats
PLOS ONE, 2009Co-Authors: Marianne L. Seney, Diane A. Kelly, Bruce D. Goldman, Radim Šumbera, Nancy G. ForgerAbstract:Background African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) exhibit a wide range of social structures, from solitary to eusocial. We previously found a lack of sex differences in the external genitalia and morphology of the perineal muscles associated with the phallus in the eusocial naked Mole-rat. This was quite surprising, as the external genitalia and perineal muscles are sexually dimorphic in all other mammals examined. We hypothesized that the lack of sex differences in naked Mole-Rats might be related to their unusual social structure. Methodology/Principal Findings We compared the genitalia and perineal muscles in three African Mole-rat species: the naked Mole-rat, the solitary silvery Mole-rat, and the Damaraland Mole-rat, a species considered to be eusocial, but with less reproductive skew than naked Mole-Rats. Our findings support a relationship between social structure, mating system, and sexual differentiation. Naked Mole-Rats lack sex differences in genitalia and perineal morphology, silvery Mole-Rats exhibit sex differences, and Damaraland Mole-Rats are intermediate. Conclusions/Significance The lack of sex differences in naked Mole-Rats is not an attribute of all African Mole-Rats, but appears to have evolved in relation to their unusual social structure and reproductive biology.
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silvery Mole Rats heliophobius argenteocinereus bathyergidae change their burrow architecture seasonally
Naturwissenschaften, 2003Co-Authors: Radim Šumbera, Hynek Burda, Wilbert N Chitaukali, Jana KubovaAbstract:Little is known about seasonal changes in burrowing activity and burrow architecture in subterranean African Mole-Rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia). The solitary genus Heliophobius is the least known genus of this family. We examined burrow systems of the silvery Mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus) in Malawi in two periods of the dry season. Burrow pattern was influenced by the time of the year, becoming more reticulated at the peak of the dry season when soil was dry and hard. Overall digging activity did not cease during the dry season; yet burrowing strategy changed and the soil was deposited in tunnels rather than transported to mounds. The length of burrow systems was correlated with the body mass of the respective occupants. In spite of their solitary habits – and contrary to the prediction of the aridity food-distribution hypothesis – silvery Mole-Rats are able to occupy poor habitats with low food supply.
Avigdor Beiles - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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adaptation of pelage color and pigment variations in israeli subterranean blind Mole Rats spalax ehrenbergi
PLOS ONE, 2013Co-Authors: Natarajan Singaravelan, Avigdor Beiles, Shay Tzur, Shirli Belifante, Tomas Pavlicek, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Eviatar NevoAbstract:The word "ehrenbergi," as part of a species name, was incorrectly capitalized in the title. The correct title is: Adaptation of Pelage Color and Pigment Variations in Israeli Subterranean Blind Mole Rats, Spalax ehrenbergi. The correct citation is: Singaravelan N, Raz S, Tzur S, Belifante S, Pavlicek T, et al. (2013) Adaptation of Pelage Color and Pigment Variations in Israeli Subterranean Blind Mole Rats, Spalax ehrenbergi. PLoS ONE 8(7): e69346. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069346.
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Speciation and adaptive radiation of subterranean Mole Rats, Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies, in Jordan
Biological Journal of The Linnean Society, 2000Co-Authors: Eviatar Nevo, Elena Ivanitskaya, Maria Gracia Filippucci, Avigdor BeilesAbstract:Abstract The major initial mechanism of speciation in subterranean blind Mole Rats, Spalacidae, is chromosomal, primarily through Robertsonian rearrangements. Here we highlight another scenario of chromosomal rearrangement leading to ecological speciation and adaptive radiation apparently initiated by pericentric inversions and genic divergence to different ecologies in Mole Rats in Jordan. We analysed karyotype, allozyme, size and ecological diversity across the range of Mole Rats in Jordan from mesic Irbid in the north to xeric Wadi Musa (Petra region) in the south, a transect of 250 km. We examined Mole Rats for chromosome ( N =71), size ( N =76), and allozyme ( N =67) diversities, encoded by 32 loci, in 12 populations of the Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies in Jordan. By a combination of chromosome morphology, genetic distance, body size and ecogeography, we identified four new putative biological species. All species (except two animals in Madaba) share 2 n =60 but vary in chromosome morphology, caused by pericentric inversions and/or centromeric shifts. The «north Moav» species is karyotypically polymorphic for 2 n (2 n =60; including locally also two animals with 2 n =62). The distribution of the four species is associated with ecogeographical different domains and climatic diversity. Genetic diversity indices were low, but like chromosome arms (NFa) were positively correlated with aridity stress. Discriminant analysis correctly classified 91% of the individuals into the four species utilizing combinatorially chromosome, allozyme and size diversities. It is hypothesized that Mole rat evolution underground is intimately associated with climatic diversity stress above ground.
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Aldolase DNA polymorphism in subterranean Mole-Rats: genetic differentiation and environmental correlates.
Heredity, 1990Co-Authors: Eviatar Nevo, Katsuji Hori, Avigdor BeilesAbstract:Aldolase DNA polymorphism in subterranean Mole-Rats: genetic differentiation and environmental correlates