Blesmols are small animals.
They live under the dirt.
They use strong teeth to dig.
They eat roots for food.
It is fun to learn about them.
Do you like to dig in dirt?
Blesmols live in Africa.
They stay under the ground. They spend their whole life in tunnels.
These animals have small eyes. They cannot see very well. But they have a great sense of smell. They can also feel things with touch.
Blesmols use strong teeth to dig. Their teeth stay outside their mouths. This keeps dirt out of their mouths while they work.
They eat things like roots and bulbs. They can even pull plants down to them. This helps them eat more food.
It is amazing how they live underground.
Blesmols are rodents that live in Africa.
They spend their whole lives underground. They live in big tunnel systems. These tunnels include places to sleep and store food. Most blesmols like to live alone. But the Damaraland blesmol lives in a group. In these groups, only one male and one female have babies.
These animals have special bodies for digging. They have short limbs and cylindrical bodies. Their eyes are very small. They cannot see well, but they can sense light. This helps them find holes in their tunnels. Blesmols use their strong front teeth to dig. Their teeth stick out even when their mouths are closed. This helps keep dirt out of their mouths.
Blesmols eat plants like roots and bulbs. They can even pull small plants down into their tunnels. This lets them eat the leaves and stems too. Some blesmols live in sandy soil. These animals are called dune blesmols. They use their feet to dig in the sand.
Blesmols are amazing rodents that live mostly underground. They are also called mole-rats or African mole-rats. These animals live in sub-Saharan Africa. They spend their entire lives in dark tunnels. These tunnels are not just paths. They include nests and areas to store food. They also have special rooms called latrine chambers. Living underground is a very different way of life. It is similar to how pocket gophers live in North America.
Digging through the earth is a hard job. Blesmols have special bodies to help them. They have cylindrical bodies and short limbs. Most species use powerful front teeth to dig. Their teeth stick out even when their mouths are closed. This helps them dig without getting dirt in their mouths. Dune blesmols are a bit different. They dig mostly with their feet in soft sand. Some species can even dig into concrete walls. They can extend a burrow by one inch.
Their bodies have changed to fit the dark. Blesmols have very small eyes and small ears. They have a very good sense of smell. Their most important sense is actually touch. Even though their eyes are small, they are normal. They have cells that sense light. Some species, like Fukomys mechowii, can see light. They avoid blue or green-yellow light. They cannot see red light well. Sensing light helps them find holes in their tunnels.
Scientists study many different kinds of blesmols. There are 21 accepted species in 5 different genera. Most blesmols like to live alone. However, the Damaraland blesmol is very social. It is one of only two eusocial mammals. This means only one male and one female have babies. The other animals in the group are sterile. This is a very rare way to live. The naked mole rat is the other eusocial mammal.
Finding food is easy for these hungry rodents. They are herbivores that eat plants. They love to eat roots, tubers, and bulbs. They can even pull small plants underground. They do this by pulling the roots. This lets them eat leaves and stems too. This way, they do not have to leave their tunnels. It is a clever way to find a snack. They stay safe while they eat.
Blesmols, also known as African mole-rats, are a specialized family of rodents. They belong to the family Bathyergidae. These animals have evolved a subterranean lifestyle. This means they live almost entirely underground. Their way of life is similar to other rodents that dig, like pocket gophers in North America. Modern blesmols are found strictly in sub-Saharan Africa. Fossil evidence shows they have been in Africa for a long time. Some fossils of the species Cryptomys asiaticus were found in Israel. Other fossils, like †Gypsorhychus, were found in Mongolia.
The anatomy of a blesmol is perfectly suited for digging. They have cylindrical bodies and short limbs. Most species have velvety fur, though the naked mole rat is hairless. Because they live in the dark, their eyes and ear pinnae are greatly reduced. Their vision is very poor. However, they can use the surfaces of their eyes to sense air currents. They have a good sense of hearing despite their small ears. Their most important sense is touch. They also have an excellent sense of smell. To keep dirt out of their airways, they can close their nostrils while digging.
Blesmols use unique physical mechanisms to move through the earth. Most species dig using powerful incisors, which are their front teeth. They also use their foreclaws to help. Dune blesmols are different because they dig primarily with their feet. This limits them to soft, sandy soil. Their teeth are very special. The incisors project forward and protrude from the mouth even when it is closed. This allows them to dig with their teeth without getting dirt in their mouths. Their skull shape helps deliver power to the lateral masseter muscle. This muscle is responsible for a very powerful bite.
While many think they are blind, blesmols actually have complex visual abilities. Their eyes are structurally normal and contain light-sensitive cells. However, the visual centers of their brains are reduced. This makes it hard for them to locate objects in their visual field. Two species, Fukomys mechowii and Heliophobius argenteocinereus, are known to be not blind. They can actively avoid blue or green-yellow light. They cannot detect red light and likely cannot tell different colors apart. Sensing light is useful for detecting breaches in their tunnels. This helps them repair their homes quickly.
Blesmols exhibit different social structures depending on the species. Most blesmols are solitary animals that live alone. However, the Damaraland blesmol, or Fukomys damarensis, is very different. It is one of only two eusocial mammals. The other is the naked mole rat. In a eusocial colony, there is only one reproductively active male and one female. The rest of the animals in the colony are sterile. These social groups often live in arid habitats with loose, sandy soils. They spend their entire lives in elaborate burrow systems. These systems include foraging tunnels, nests, storage areas, and latrine chambers.
Finding food is a constant task in the underground world. Blesmols are herbivores. They primarily eat roots, tubers, and bulbs. They have a clever way of eating. They can pull smaller plants underground by their roots. This allows them to eat leaves and stems without leaving their burrows. Most species breed only once or twice a year. They usually have small litters of two to five young. This may be because their environment is safe. However, some species have much larger litters. The naked mole rat averages twelve young per litter.
Scientists currently recognize 21 species of blesmols across five genera. These animals seem to undergo rapid speciation. This means they form new species quickly. They become geographically isolated easily, which creates different genetic races. The Bathyergidae family is monophyletic. This means all species in the family trace back to one common ancestor. Their closest living relatives are likely cane rats and dassie rats. Together, these groups form the infraorder Phiomorpha. Some researchers believe the genus Bathyergus is the most basal lineage. This is based on recent investigations into their family history.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (5)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.