A review of Fukomys ochraceocinereus, an enigmatic mole-rat from Central Africa (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)

Abstract

Although the biology of common mole-rats of the genus Fukomys has been intensively studied over the last three decades, some lineages of this speciose group of subterranean rodents remain virtually unknown to science. One of these poorly studied species is the Central African mole-rat, Fukomys ochraceocinereus (von Heuglin, 1864), which occurs in the tropical savannahs and woodlands of the northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, and the Central African Republic. Here I summarize the taxonomic history and available data on the distribution and morphology of this enigmatic mole-rat, adding selected observations from museum collections. F. ochraceocinereus is a comparatively large representative of its genus that appears to express little sexual dimorphism and notable variation in pelage color. Its genetics and karyology remain severely understudied. The review highlights both apparent peculiarities of the species as well as research gaps which should be addressed by future studies on F. ochraeocinereus and its relatives, including taxonomic revisions.