Hematologic adaptation to the subterranean environment by the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber (Ctenohystrica: Heterocephalidae)

One method burrowing animals are hypothesized to use in adapting to the presumed hypoxic subterranean environment is increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. A number of recent studies have examined hematologic parameters in laboratory-reared naked mole-rats, but not in animals living under natural atmospheric conditions. To our knowledge, blood chemistry parameters have never been systematically assessed in a fossorial mammal. In this study we examined the blood of wild naked mole-rats in Kenya and Ethiopia to determine whether their blood chemistry differs significantly from naked mole-rats born and living in captivity. We also compared our results to published values for hystricomorphs, other subterranean rodents, and surface-dwelling rodents of similar size.