Premium
Surprisingly long survival of premature conclusions about naked mole‐rat biology
Author(s) -
Braude Stan,
Holtze Susanne,
Begall Sabine,
Brenmoehl Julia,
Burda Hynek,
Dammann Philip,
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.,
Zglinicki Thomas,
Averina Olga,
Hildebrandt Thomas B.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.993
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1469-185X
pISSN - 1464-7931
DOI - 10.1111/brv.12660
Subject(s) - biology , popularity , curiosity , rodent , zoology , physiology , ecology , psychology , neuroscience , social psychology
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.