BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL-ORGANIZATION IN A COLONY OF THE DAMARALAND MOLE-RAT CRYPTOMYS-DAMARENSIS

This paper reports qualitative and quantitative behavioural studies of the social mole‐rat C. damarensis. The behaviours were subdivided into four major categories: nest, maintenance, interactive and auto‐behaviours. Social interactions and behavioural types were analysed by sex, age category and caste. The nest area is a focal point in the burrow system with individuals spending more than 70% of the day there. Many of the interactive behaviours occurred there and the mole‐rats showed definite preferences with regard to which individuals they rested next to or avoided. The Damaraland mole‐rat colonies show some division of labour, into frequent and infrequent worker groups; these castes differed significantly in the amount of both digging and soil movement undertaken. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved