Surprisingly long survival of premature conclusions about naked mole‐rat biology. (30th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Braude, Stan; Holtze, Susanne; Begall, Sabine; Brenmoehl, Julia; Burda, Hynek; Dammann, Philip; del Marmol, Delphine; Gorshkova, Ekaterina; Henning, Yoshiyuki; Hoeflich, Andreas; Höhn, Annika; Jung, Tobias; Hamo, Dania; Sahm, Arne; Shebzukhov, Yury; Šumbera, Radim; Miwa, Satomi; Vyssokikh, Mikhail Y.; von Zglinicki, Thomas; Averina, Olga; Hildebrandt, Thomas B.
• Is Part Of: Biological reviews. Volume 96:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 376
• Page End: 393
• Publication Date: 2020-10-30
• Subjects: naked mole‐rat -- thermoregulation -- sensory biology -- physiology -- ageing -- cancer -- social behaviour -- subterranean life -- sociality -- Bathyergidae; Biology -- Periodicals; 570
• DOI: 10.1111/brv.12660
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1464-7931

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Naked mole‐rats express many unusual traits for such a small rodent. Their morphology, social behaviour, physiology, and ageing have been well studied over the past half‐century. Many early findings and speculations about this subterranean species persist in the literature, although some have been repeatedly questioned or refuted. While the popularity of this species as a natural‐history curiosity, and oversimplified story‐telling in science journalism, might have fuelled the perpetuation of such misconceptions, an accurate understanding of their biology is especially important for this new biomedical model organism. We review 28 of these persistent myths about naked mole‐rat sensory abilities, ecophysiology, social behaviour, development and ageing, and where possible we explain how these misunderstandings came about.