Description
Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are one of the most incredible creatures in the animal kingdom. They are a unique eusocial rodent species with extraordinary longevity(1) and able to communicate with each other with versatile colony-specific dialects(2) and can even survive under extreme hypoxia by switching to fructose as a fuel(3). Their subterranean burrows are large and complex with multiple branching tunnels, which can spread more than 3km, but mole-rats orientate themselves and navigate without reliance on visual cues(4). However, the underlying mechanisms used by these animals to navigate have not yet been studied. Our results suggest that naked mole-rats utilize their densely innervated body hairs as tactile navigational tools. Behavioral experiment indicates that the deflection of these hairs as they move down narrow tunnels aids in accurate navigation. Additionally, mechanoreceptors innervating these hairs are tuned to certain deflection angles, probably providing directional information feedback. Moreover, these receptors can also fire continuously for minutes in response to static displacement, potentially providing information on time travelled as the hairs remain bent by tunnel walls during movement. Collectively, our findings illuminate the sophisticated tactile-based navigation system employed by naked mole-rats.
