Abstract
BackgroundThe greater cane rat (GCR), reputed to be African's second largest rodent, is a precocial hystricomorph with an uncommon phenotype and life history. Scientific and socio‐economic interests in the GCR have led to heightened research efforts targeted towards a better understanding of its biology and exploration of its economic and translational usefulness.MethodsRecords of all online scientific publications on the GCR from Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, science.gov, Ebscohost and Worldwide science, with the exception of research theses, proceedings, unpublished projects and abstracts, were collated and analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsA total of 146 published scholarly articles spanning about six decades were retrieved, with 98% of the GCR publications originating from African countries. Nigeria boasts the highest number of publications (58.22%) followed by Ghana (21.23%) and South Africa (5.48%) while Senegal contributed the least (0.69%). Publications were sorted into ten field categories. The field with the highest number of articles (41.78%) was animal breeding and management recording, closely followed by anatomy (37.67%). Lesser contributions were made by parasitology (5.48%), biochemistry/hematology (4.8%), pharmacology/toxicology (4.11%), pathology (2.06%), and surgery/anesthesia and physiology (1.37% apiece). The fields with fewest contributions were microbiology and developmental biology (0.69% each).ConclusionThis study chronicles the spectrum of knowledge available on the GCR, highlighting the knowledge gap that still exists in various fields in order to provide advocacy for new frontiers in research efforts on this rodent. We suggest the need for a clearly defined and well integrated national/regional policy aimed at establishing Africa's foremost micro‐livestock rodent, the greater cane rat, on the world's scientific radar.
Highlights
African cane rats belong to the family Thryonomyidae, which is represented by a single genus, Thryonomys
Nigeria boasts the highest number of publications on the greater cane rat (GCR) (58.22%) followed by Ghana (21.23%) and South Africa (5.48%), while Senegal has provided the smallest contribution, with only one publication (0.69%) (Figures 4 and 5)
One hundred and forty-six (146) scientific publications on the GCR were found from an online search covering a period of six decades
Summary
African cane rats belong to the family Thryonomyidae, which is represented by a single genus, Thryonomys. Misonne[4] and Woods[5] have provided short reviews of extant species of thryonomyids, concluding that only two species exist at present These are the greater cane rat (GCR) (Thryonomys swinderianus, Temminck 1827) and the lesser cane rat, (Thryonomys gregorianus, Thomas 1894).[6]. The presence and predominance of dense thick cane-like grasses such as elephant grass (Pennisectum purpureum) and guinea grass (Panicum maximum) influence the geographical distribution of these rodents As obligate herbivores, they feed primarily on reeds, roots, shoots and stems of grasses using their broad and sharp incisors to cut through tough plant materials. They are reputed to be the fourth largest extant rodent[18,19] and the second largest African rodent after the African porcupine, Hystrix africaeaustralis.[20-23] Their large carcass yield and the high nutritional value of their meat make them a premium alternative source of protein, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where they command high prices leading to huge economic returns.[24-27]. The aim of this paper is to chronicle the spectrum of knowledge available on the GCR over a period of six decades, highlighting the knowledge gap that still exists in order to provide advocacy for new frontiers in research efforts on this rodent
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