The reproductive physiology and endocrinology of the African mole-rats: With special reference to Southern African mole-rat species

Abstract

African mole-rats (family: Bathyergidae) are subterranean hystricomorph rodents that display a wide range of social organisation and reproductive strategies (Jarvis and Bennett 1990). At the one extreme are strictly solitary species that only pair up for short periods of time during the breeding season (Bennett and Jarvis 1988a; Bennett et al. 1991; Šumbera et al. 2003; Herbst et al. 2004). At the opposite extreme are the truly social or eusocial representatives that show monopolization of reproduction by a single female per colony, exhibit extended philopatry and have a work related division of labour (Jarvis 1981; Bennett and Jarvis 1988b; Bennett 1989; Burda and Kawalika 1993; Jarvis and Bennett 1993; Burda et al. 2000; Janse van Rensburg et al. 2002).