Reactions to disturbances in the context of antipredatory behaviour in a solitary subterranean rodent

Šklíba, Jan; Šumbera, Radim; Chitaukali, Wilbert N.

doi:10.1007/s10164-007-0056-x

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(20 reference statements)

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“…The barricade response to disturbance has not yet been described in the naked mole-rat. Similar barricading behavior has been observed in the solitary free-living silvery mole-rats ( Heliophobius argenteocinereus ), whereby individuals separated themselves from the disturbance by using plugs of soil [ 50 ]. The naked mole-rats could have been attempting to dig or create a ‘soil’ plug, but were unable to do so due to the experimental set-up (plastic tubes instead of sandy tunnels).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Aggression, Boldness, and Exploration Personality Traits in the Subterranean Naked Mole-Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) Disperser Morphs

Majelantle

Ganswindt

Pirk

et al. 2022

Animals

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Animal personality traits (consistent behavioral differences between individuals in their behavior across time and/or situation) affect individual fitness through facets, such as dispersal. In eusocial naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) colonies, a disperser morph may arise with distinct morphological, behavioral, and physiological characteristics. This study aimed to quantify the personality traits of a cohort of disperser morphs of naked mole-rat (NMR). Behavioral tests were performed on twelve disperser morphs (six males and six females) in an observation tunnel system that was novel and unfamiliar. Novel stimuli (fresh snakeskin, tissue paper, and conspecific of the same sex) were introduced for fifteen minutes, and the behavioral acts of the individual were recorded. A total of 30 behaviors were noted during the behavioral tests of which eight were used to quantify aggression, boldness, and exploration. The NMR disperser morphs showed consistent individual differences in boldness, and exploration across time and test, indicating a distinct personality. In addition, new naked mole-rat responses including disturbance behaviors; confront, barricade, and stay-away, were recorded. Further investigations into the relationships between animal personality traits and social hierarchy position in entire colonies are needed for more informative results as we further investigate the role of personality in cooperatively breeding societies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Aggression, Boldness, and Exploration Personality Traits in the Subterranean Naked Mole-Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) Disperser Morphs

Majelantle

Ganswindt

Pirk

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…The anti‐predatory role of the structure of the burrow system is also supported by studies on other groups of subterranean rodents (Brown & Hickmann , Hickman , Šklíba et al. ). However, due to the general lack of detailed investigations and review papers, it is difficult to compare the aboveground and underground predation pressure on blind mole rats with that on other subterranean or fossorial rodents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Danger underground and in the open – predation on blind mole rats (Rodentia: Spalacinae) revisited

Németh¹,

Hegyeli²,

Sendula

et al. 2016

Mammal Review

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Danger underground and in the open -predation on blind mole rats (Rodentia:Spalacinae) revisited Abstract 1. Being totally blind with no tail and earconch, blind mole rats -found in the Balkan Peninsula, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and North-East Africa -are the most specialised rodents for the subterranean lifestyle. However, they come to the surface occasionally due to unusual climatic events, foraging activity, collecting hay for bedding material, dispersal of the subadults, intraspecific aggression, and illness. 2.The only review of surface activity and suffered predation of blind mole rats (published in 1991) suggests that the surface activity of and, consequently, the predation on blind mole rats are uncommon events, and that they are preyed on mainly at night by owls.3. The present review based on 57 scientific publications, 14 unpublished reports and several personal observations (from 15 countries) reveals that altogether 26 species of birds and mammals prey on blind mole rats either regularly or occasionally. It is evidenced herewith, that not only the number of predators, but even the percentage of blind mole rats in their diet has been seriously underestimated. 5.The tight relation between the colours of the soil and the pelage of blind mole rats suggests the importance of diurnal raptors via their selective impact. Predation by mammals happens relatively often and there is a high possibility that mustelids hunt blind mole rats not only on the surface but also inside their burrows. The labyrinth-like structure of the burrows can probably play a vital role confusing the mammalian predators trying to hunt inside the burrows, and increase the prey's chances to escape. 6.With the proven importance of blind mole rats as a food resource of several threatened birds of prey, the survival, reproduction success and population size of these species may partly also depend on the density of these rodents. Although many species within the subfamily are threatened themselves to different extents, the role of blind mole rat populations in the carnivore and raptor conservation should be considered and evaluated. Cytogenetic (Lyapunova et al. 1971) and molecular genetic (Hadid et al. 2012, Chişamera et al. 2013) works provided evidences of deep divergences within the subfamily therefore the two genera (Spalax and Nannospalax) classification scheme has been followed here in accordance with the most recent publications (Németh et al. 2009, 2013, Arslan et al. 2011, Kryštufek et al. 2012, Chişamera et al. 2013. The species of the subfamily have adapted to subterranean life (Méhely 1909, Topachevskii 1969, Savić & Nevo 1990. These small mammals have cylindrically shaped bodies with no external ears, a vestigial tail, very short legs and are completely blind as a result of spending their entire life in their tunnel system built underground (Vásárhelyi 1926, Topachevskii 1969. This subterranean way of life protects them from almost every predator (Vásárhelyi 1926, 1929, Watson 1961, Topachevskii 1969. How...

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“…Moreover, it has been shown experimentally that an illumination of a burrow induces its plugging (Kott et al ., ). Indeed, the available data (Šklíba, Šumbera & Chitaukali, ) and experience with mole‐rat trapping suggest that mole‐rats are very cautious around damaged parts of burrow systems, suggesting that light penetrating into damaged burrows serves as a cue triggering antipredatory behaviour.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Moreover, it has been shown experimentally that an illumination of a burrow induces its plugging (Kott et al, 2010). Indeed, the available data (Šklíba, Šumbera & Chitaukali, 2008) and experience with mole-rat trapping suggest that mole-rats are very cautious around damaged parts of burrow systems, suggesting that light penetrating into damaged burrows serves as a cue triggering antipredatory behaviour. The present study clearly shows that the amount of light that penetrates into a damaged burrow system during the day and also during a moonlit night suffices to inform an underground dweller about the site of danger.…”

Section: Role Of Vision In Antipredatory Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light propagation in burrows of subterranean rodents: tunnel system architecture but not photoreceptor sensitivity limits light sensation range

et al. 2014

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About 300 species of mammals have adapted to the dark underground ecotope. Despite a long history of underground existence, many strictly subterranean species have retained structurally normal eyes possessing the capability of image‐forming vision. Moreover, their retinae often feature high cone proportions, an indication of conserved photopic (daylight) vision. Although it has been suggested that low acuity vision plays an important role in predator avoidance, not a single attempt to measure light conditions in burrows has been made so far. Here, we report the first measurements of light propagation in an illuminated artificial tunnel and in experimentally opened burrows of Ansell's mole‐rat, Fukomys anselli in its natural habitat. Only about 0.2–2.5% of the ambient visible light entered the opened burrow. Light intensity attenuated quickly and reached mesopic light levels (at which both cones and rods contribute to vision) within a few centimetres from the burrow opening; scotopic light levels (at which only rods operate) were estimated to be reached at one to a few metres from the opening. Thus, although cones may hypothetically contribute to vision for up to a few metres, they play an indispensable role only in the immediate vicinity of a breach, where rods are fully saturated. Rod‐mediated light sensation in straight tunnels seems to be possible over distances much longer than 100 m, implying that it is the burrow architecture (tortuosity and branching) what limits light sensation under natural conditions. These findings clearly show that light propagating within a breached burrow may serve as a reliable cue providing information about the site of potential predation risk. Both rods and cones contribute to this signalling. The fact that blue light propagated much less efficiently than longer wavelength light suggests that the short‐wave‐sensitive opsin dominance in the African mole‐rats represents a non‐adaptive feature that seems to be associated with arrested cone development.

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Reactions to disturbances in the context of antipredatory behaviour in a solitary subterranean rodent

Cited by 10 publications

References 22 publications

Aggression, Boldness, and Exploration Personality Traits in the Subterranean Naked Mole-Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) Disperser Morphs

Aggression, Boldness, and Exploration Personality Traits in the Subterranean Naked Mole-Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) Disperser Morphs

Danger underground and in the open – predation on blind mole rats (Rodentia: Spalacinae) revisited

Light propagation in burrows of subterranean rodents: tunnel system architecture but not photoreceptor sensitivity limits light sensation range

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