AnAge Home Help Human Ageing Genomic Resources Citation

AnAge entry for Cryptomys mechowi

Classification (HAGRID: 03182)
TaxonomyKingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Rodentia
                Family: Bathyergidae
                    Genus: Cryptomys
SpeciesCryptomys mechowi
Common nameGiant mole-rat

Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits

Maximum longevityNot yet established
Observations

Little is known about the longevity of these animals. Specimens held in captivity were living after 10.5 years (Philip Dammann and Hynek Burda, pers. comm.). Probably they can live much longer, though. Litter size increases with parity [0531].

Life history traits (averages)

Female sexual maturity
Male sexual maturity
Gestation112 days
Weaning65 days
Litter size2.6 (viviparous)
Litters per year
Inter-litter interval
Weight at birth19.6 g
Weight at weaning
Adult weight250 g
Postnatal growth rate0.006 days-1 (from Gompertz function)

Metabolism

No information on metabolism available.

References
[0530] Scharff et al. (2001), Natural history of the Giant mole-rat, Cryptomys mechowi (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) from Zambia
[0531] Scharff et al. (1999), Reproductive characteristics and growth of Zambian giant mole-rats, Cryptomys mechowi (Rodentia: Bathyergidae)

External resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information SystemITIS 584672
Animal Diversity WebADW account (if available)
Encyclopedia of LifeSearch EOL
Genome ProjectSearch NCBI
Entrez

Search all databases

Entrez Taxonomy search

Ageing literature

Search Google Scholar

Search PubMed

Search Scirus

ImagesGoogle Image search
InternetSearch Google

AnAge database at the Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

If you find any missing or incorrect data, please contact us.