{{Short description|Species of rodent}} {{Speciesbox | name = Silvery mole-rat | image = Silvery mole-rat.png | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author1=Maree, S. |author2=Faulkes, C. | title = ''Heliophobius argenteocinereus'' | volume= 2016 | article-number = e.T9828A22184301 | year = 2016 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T9828A22184301.en }}</ref> | genus = Heliophobius | parent_authority = Peters, 1846 | species = argenteocinereus | authority = Peters, 1846 }}
The '''silvery mole-rat''', '''silvery blesmol''', or '''silky mole-rat''' ('''''Heliophobius argenteocinereus''''') is a species of mole-rat of East Africa which occurs in southern Kenya, Tanzania, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Malawi. Solitary and aggressive,<ref>Bennett, Nigel C.; Chris G. Faulkes. (2000) African Mole-Rats: Ecology and Eusociality. Cambridge University Press. p. 12. {{ISBN|0-521-77199-4}}</ref> little is known about its ecology or behavior. It is monotypic in the genus '''''Heliophobius'''''.<ref name = MSW3>{{MSW3 Hystricognathi | id = 13400028 | page = 1541}}</ref> A common species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern".<ref name=iucn/>
==Description== thumb|Skull of a silvery mole-rat This is a medium-sized mole-rat with soft, silky silvery-grey fur. The head is paler around the eyes, the sides of the face and the snout, and some individuals have a small white patch on the forehead. The long, slightly-curved incisors lie outside the lips. The upper parts of head and body are silvery-grey to tan, the fur being up to {{convert|25|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} in length, and the underparts are pale silvery-grey. The feet and claws are not enlarged for digging and are pale, with a fringe of stiff hairs around the margin of the digits. The tail is a pale colour and is less than 10% of the head-and-body length. In Malawi, the size of males is about 15% larger than females, but elsewhere there is little sexual dimorphism.<ref name=Kingdon>{{cite book|author1=Jonathan Kingdon|author2=David Happold|author3=Thomas Butynski|author4=Michael Hoffmann|author5=Meredith Happold|author6=Jan Kalina|title=Mammals of Africa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_07noCPc4kC&pg=PA665 |year=2013 |publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4081-8996-2 |pages=665–667}}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat== The silvery mole-rat is native to Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Malawi in East Africa. Its typical habitat is open grassy woodland, including ''Combretum-Brachystegium woodland'',<ref name=iucn/> as well as sub-montane grassland and rocky slopes at altitudes of up to {{convert|2200|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}. It is adaptable as to soil types, both sandy and black "cotton" soils being acceptable.<ref name=iucn/>
==Ecology== Like other mole-rats, the species lives underground in a burrow which it digs with its incisor teeth. Like most other mole-rats, it is solitary. The diet is vegetarian and consists largely of roots, bulbs and corms, especially the roots of the leguminous ''Dolichos'' spp. and ''Vigna'' spp., with ''Vigna'' being a key foodstuff that attracts it to an area. Agricultural fields are sometimes invaded and rootcrops are eaten. They engage in coprophagy, consuming up to twelve faecal pellets at a time. Their foodstuffs are gathered underground by means of a long feeding passage running parallel with the surface and extending in one instance for over {{convert|100|m|ft|-2|abbr=on}}. Rather deeper in the ground, at about {{convert|30|cm|in|0|abbr=on}}, is a nesting chamber containing a hollow ball of grasses, corn husks and root skins. Deeper still, at about {{convert|50|cm|in|0|abbr=on}}, is a bolt hole for escaping from danger. There are also food-storage chambers, and blind burrows which are used as latrines.<ref name=Kingdon/>
Silvery mole-rats are territorial and fairly aggressive, driving off other mole-rats. When cornered, they adopt a defensive stance with head thrown back and incisors exposed. Breeding takes place at different times of year in different parts of the range. Courtship can be quite vocal and is initiated by the male, which follows the female about, sniffing at her genital region. When he is accepted, they face each other and lock teeth or nibble each other gently with their elongated incisors before copulating.<ref name=Kingdon/> The gestation period is between 87 and 101 days, and the litter size is usually between two and five.<ref name=Kingdon/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Clear}} {{Bathyergidae nav}} {{Hystricomorpha|H.|state=collapsed}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q302881}}
Category:Blesmols Category:Mammals described in 1846 Category:Rodents of Africa Category:Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters