{{Short description|Species of rodent}} {{speciesbox | name = Ansell's mole-rat | image = Fukomys anselli.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Dando, T. |author2=Van Daele, P. |date=2020 |title=''Fukomys anselli'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T44858A22184572 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T44858A22184572.en |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Fukomys | species = anselli | authority = (Burda, Zima, Scharff, Macholán & Kawalika, 1999) | synonyms = ''Cryptomys anselli'' }} '''Ansell's mole-rat''' ('''''Fukomys anselli'''''), also known as the Zambian mole rat,<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021"/> is a species of rodent in the family Bathyergidae. It is endemic to Zambia. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and miombo forests. It is noted for its very long tunnels, up to {{convert|2.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} for a single colony of only ten individuals.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22164-zoologger-the-longest-tunnels-dug-by-a-mammal.html | title=Zoologger: The longest tunnels dug by a mammal }}</ref> The colonies are made of a eusocial system. They include a main reproductive king and queen that are thought to be faithful to one another.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=de Vries|first1=J. L.|last2=Oosthuizen|first2=M. K.|last3=Sichilima|first3=A. M.|last4=Bennett|first4=N. C.|date=December 2008|title=Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in Ansell's mole-rat: are mole-rat's clocks ticking?|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00496.x|journal=Journal of Zoology|language=en|volume=276|issue=4|pages=343–349|doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2008.00496.x|hdl=2263/8930|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Ansell's mole-rats (Fukomys anselli) develop their underground habitat using their anatomical features such as body shape, chiseled teeth, and large jaws to dig through the soil. These long tunnels often branch off at various levels in the soil which allow mole-rats to create the space needed for their survival, such as searching for plants, creating food storage areas, and communicating with other nearby family groups.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Begall |first1=S. |last2=Burda |first2=H. |last3=Caspar |first3=K. R. |date=2021 |title=''Fukomys anselli'' (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) |journal=Mammalian Species |volume=53 |issue=1012 |pages=160–173 |doi=10.1093/mspecies/seab015 |issn=0076-3519|doi-access=free }}</ref>
African mole-rats ''(Fukomys anselli)'' brain differs from epigeic species. Although mole-rats are underground dwelling animals, their brains have a similar structure to other rodents. However, their somatosensory cortex is notably augmented, which then occupy the areas that are typically visual in epigeic rodents. Additionally, on bathyergidae mole-rats, their visual cortex is smaller but is significantly stronger than other similar rodents.<ref>Dollas, A., Oelschläger, H. H. A., Begall, S., Burda, H., & Malkemper, E. P. (2019). Brain atlas of the African mole-rat Fukomys anselli. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 527(11), 1885–1900. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.24647</ref>
{{Gallery |title=Ansell's mole-rat at Leipzig Zoo, Germany |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |File:Graumull IMG 4039.jpg | alt1=Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) | |File:Graumull_IMG_4042.jpg | alt2=Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) | |File:Graumull IMG 4058.jpg | alt3=Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) | }}
==References== {{Reflist}} *Woods, C. A. and C. W. Kilpatrick. 2005. pp 1538–1600 ''in'' Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
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Category:Fukomys Category:Mammals of Zambia Category:Endemic fauna of Zambia Category:Mammals described in 1999 Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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