Buried information.Information, and especially pictures, of these strange mammals is always of interest ("Naked and Not: Two species of mole rats run complex societies underground," SN: 6/24/06, p. 394). I wanted to check on the statement about "several dozen species in sub-Saharan Africa." Alas, I was unable to do so. Science News hadn't bothered to include either generic or specific names for any species discussed. How unfortunate to have this very important piece on Jennifer Jarvis' life's work marred by editorial lapses. SCOTT MCCLEVE, DOUGLAS, ARIZ ARIZ Arizona (old style) . "Mole rat" is applied to rodents in several families, but the article focused on the Bathyergidae, which includes the Damaraland mole rat Noun 1. Damaraland mole rat - colonial mole rat of western Africa; similar to naked mole rat fossorial mammal - a burrowing mammal having limbs adapted for digging (Cryptomys damarensis) and the naked mole rat naked mole rat, name applied to a species (Heterocephalus glaber) of small rodents found in E Africa, whose members—the only hairless rodents—live entirely in underground communities of 80 or more individuals with a structure resembling that of (Heterocephalus glaber). Walker's Mammals of the World recognizes 14 species, but Chris Faulkes of the University of London For most practical purposes, ranging from admission of students to negotiating funding from the government, the 19 constituent colleges are treated as individual universities. Within the university federation they are known as Recognised Bodies says that DNA evidence supports even more.--S. MILIUS |
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