Cryptomys damarensis
Damara mole rat

Damaraland mole-rats, Crytomys damarensis, live in southwestern and central Africa, primarily in Botswana and West Zambia. (Nowak, 1999)

Damaraland mole-rats are subterranean and inhabit semi-arid regions. This includes woodland, savannah, and secondary forest habitats. (Jarvis, et al., 2001; Nowak, 1999)

Head and body length is 90 to 270 mm, and tail length is 10 to 30 mm. The breeding male and female within a colony are the largest individuals. The male is slightly larger than the female.

The body is slender with legs that are short, making this species well adapted for fossorial life. Also, the ears lack external pinnae. The pelage is thick, with sensitive guard hairs, sometimes referred to as vibrissae. Large, protuberant incisors are used extensively for borrowing. The lips close behind these digging tools to prevent dirt from entering the mouth. (Bennett, et al., 1990)

Damaraland mole-rats have evolved a cooperative breeding system where within a colony, a high reproductive skew is maintained by only a single female and male breeding. The precise mechanism by which this operates is uncertain, although it is likely that both behavioral (i.e. aggression) and chemical suppression (i.e. pheromones) are used. (Bennet, 1994; Bennett, 1994; Nowak, 1999)

In wild populations, these animals are thought to breed once annually. Captive colonies of Damaraland mole-rats are capable of breeding year-round. In captivity, two litters per year are common. After a gestation of 78 to 112 days, a litter of one to three highly precocial young is born. Young nurse until about 82 days of age.

Females can reach reproductive maturity at 73 weeks of age. However, since reproduction is supressed in all but the breeding pair, it is difficult to estimate how early reproductive maturity might be reached. Age at dispersal and mechanism of dispersal of the young are not known. (Nowak, 1999)

A pregant female spends most of her time within a chamber designated as the nesting area. The mother provides young with milk for about 82 days. Certain members of the colony help care for the juveniles through grooming, huddling together for warmth, feeding, and by preventing them from straying. (Bennet, 1994; Nowak, 1999)

Lifespan and longevity is currently unknown for Damaraland mole-rats, although individuals of the closely related species, Cryptomys hottentotus, have lived nearly 10 years in captivity. Cryptomys damarensis probably has a similar lifespan. (Nowak, 1999)

Damaraland mole-rats are eusocial and have evolved a caste system. This system is like that seen in bees and ants, where a single breeding queen is supported by many workers. These mole-rats spend nearly their entire lives underground in a network of tunnels that consist of a nesting area, toilet area, and food storage chamber. Colonies excavate large tunnel systems in search of food. (Bennet, 1994; Nowak, 1999)

A remarkable attribute of Damaraland mole-rats is their well established division of labor. The monogamously mated breeding pair does little or no work. However, there are individuals designated for the work of tunnel digging, caring for successive litters, and the foraging and storing of food. Although work is primarily done cooperatively, larger individuals physically "persuade" (often through tail pulling) smaller ones to doing a greater percentage of the work. (Bennett, 1994; Bennett, 2002; Bennett, et al., 1990; Nowak, 1999)

There is strong evidence that this eusocial type society evolved as a response to control colony growth during unfavorable conditions. When individuals do disperse, it occurs during times of high rainfall when it is favorable for digging and foraging. (Bennett, 2002)

As with other members of the genus Cryptomys, Damaraland mole-rats communicate and often act aggressively by means of squeaks, grunts, and growls when confronting members of another colony. Sparring between juveniles, such as tail pulling, is thought to aid in their physical and social development. (Bennett, 1994; Nowak, 1999)

Although an average home range estimate for the Damaraland mole-rat isn't currently available, it is known that a close relative, C. hottentotus, has constructed tunnel networks that vary from 58 to 340 meters in length. It is likely that Damarland mole-rats are similar. (Nowak, 1999)

Like other members of the genus Cryptomys, Damaraland mole-rats often act aggressively. They use squeaks, grunts, and growls when confronting each other in order to create and maintain a dominance hierarchy.

Associated with these vocalizations, there are often aggressive physical encounters. Larger individuals often use tail-pulling as a means of forcing smaller individuals to perform more labor. Physcial contact may also be involved in reproductive supression of members of the colony.

It is believed that these animals lack the ability to see, although the surfaces of their eyes are used to detect air currents. Vibrissae located along the body are used for detecting their surroundings. This being the case, visual signals are highly unlikely to play any role in communication.

Chemical pheromones in the urine of the dominant female may be used to suppress sexual activity in subordinates. (Bennet, 1994; Bennett, 1994; Nowak, 1999)

Damaraland mole-rats are primarily herbivorous, eating mainly roots, bulbs, tubers, and aloe leaves. They also consume invertebrates, such as earthworms, cockchafer larvae, and white ants. (Nowak, 1999)

Specific predators of Damarland mole-rats have not yet been identified. Other species of subterranian mole-rats are thought to suffer from predation by snakes. Snakes are the most likely predator of these animals as well. (Nowak, 1999)

Damaraland mole-rats are capable of tilling large quantities of soil which helps in its aeration. Their tunnels also aid in water infiltration, helping to supply water to deep-rooted trees. (Nowak, 1999)

As with other fossorial mammals, Damaraland mole-rats contribute to soil tilling and water infiltration. They are also hunted for human consumption. For research and education, they present an interesting adaptation to life in arid environments. (Nowak, 1999; Nowak, 1999)

As with other members of the family Bathyergidae, mole-rats are often seen as pests in that they can consume large amounts of valuable agricultural products and private vegetable gardens. They have been known to chew through underground cables and cause damage to agricultural machinery. (Nowak, 1999)

Cryptomys damarensis is a common species and therefore has no special status. (Nowak, 1999)

There are a total of nine species of mole-rat in the genus Crypotmys, all of which are distributed across the semi-arid regions of Africa. Fossilized remains can be traced back to the Oligocene. Only one other species of mole-rat, from the genus Heterocephalus, is defined as being eusocial. (Nowak, 1999)