The Nigerian mole-rat (Fukomys foxi ) is a species of rodent in the family Bathyergidae. It is found in northern Nigeria and Cameroon. A colonial, subterranean species, its natural habitats are tropical dry lowland grassland, riverside woodland and rocky places.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
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starts withThe Nigerian mole-rat has been little studied. It is a small species with adults having a head and body length averaging 145 millimetres (5.7 in) with the largest individuals reaching 160 millimetres (6.3 in). The short dense fur is black with a patch of white on the head and sometimes some white markings on the underside.
The original specimens came from a single location on the Jos Plateau in northern Nigeria, and a further six specimens were obtained from the same region in 1966. This mole-rat is also found in the countryside around Ngaoundéré in Cameroon, where it is common in some localities. Its natural habitat is grassland, wooded areas beside streams and rocky areas. It lives in underground colonies with extensive systems of tunnels.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers this species too poorly known for it to assess its conservation status so it has rated it as "data deficient". The Jos Plateau has fertile soils and is used for the growing of crops such as potatoes which cannot be grown in other parts of the country. Whether increasing agriculture and deforestation due to collection of firewood will impact on the species is not known, but other species of mole-rat have adapted to increasing amounts of agriculture.