Brain atlas of the African mole‐ratFukomys anselli

Abstract

African mole‐rats are subterranean rodents that spend their whole life in underground burrow systems. They show a range of morphological and physiological adaptations to their ecotope, for instance severely reduced eyes and specialized somatosensory, olfactory, and auditory systems. These adaptations are also reflected in the accessory sensory pathways in the brain that process the input coming from the sensory organs. So far, a brain atlas was available only for the naked mole‐rat ( Heterocephalus glaber ). The Ansell's mole‐rat ( Fukomys anselli ) has been the subject of many investigations in various disciplines (ethology, sensory physiology, and anatomy) including magnetic orientation. It is therefore surprising that an atlas of the brain of this species was not available so far. Here, we present a comprehensive atlas of the Ansell's mole‐rat brain based on Nissl and Klüver‐Barrera stained sections. We identify and label 375 brain regions and discuss selected differences from the brain of the closely related naked mole‐rat as well as from epigeic mammals (rat), with a particular focus on the auditory brainstem. This atlas can serve as a reference for future neuroanatomical investigations of subterranean mammals.

Histological and MRI brain atlas of the common shrew, Sorex araneus, with brain region-specific gene expression profiles

“…However, a direct focus on these few mammalian lineages misses many of the naturally occurring phenotypes unique to other species that may prove pivotal for understanding brain function and evolution. For example, brain atlases created for the mustached bat ( Washington et al, 2018 ), mole-rat ( Dollas et al, 2019 ), and cavefish ( Jaggard et al, 2020 ) have helped elucidate the adaptive mechanisms of sensory systems in darker environments. Continued curation of brain atlases across divergent species with extraordinary phenotypes will help to further broaden our understanding of brain function, architecture, and evolution.…”

Brain Lesions in Aging Zoo-Housed Naked Mole-Rats (Heterocephalus glaber)

“…Evaluation was standardized in reference to the brain atlas of the naked mole-rat 24 and of a comparable species, the African mole-rat ( Fukomys anselii ). 9 Exact ages of 13 NMRs were known and ranged from 4 years 10 months to 27 years. The age range of the remaining NMRs was estimated from historical colony data of dates of births, litter survivorship, and death date of each individual.…”