What is a mouse that looks like a mole called? - briefly
The animal that looks like a mouse yet resembles a mole is commonly called a mole vole.
What is a mouse that looks like a mole called? - in detail
The creature commonly identified as a mouse‑sized animal with a mole‑like body is the naked mole‑rat (Heterocephalus glaber). Despite its superficial similarity to a small rodent, it belongs to the family Bathyergidae, a group of African subterranean rodents distinct from true mice (family Muridae).
Naked mole‑rats exhibit a set of morphological and physiological traits that differentiate them from typical mice:
- Body form: elongated, cylindrical shape; reduced eyes and external ears; velvety, hair‑less skin.
- Limbs: short forelimbs with large, clawed digits adapted for digging; hind limbs are smaller and primarily used for locomotion within tunnels.
- Sensory adaptation: limited vision compensated by heightened tactile and olfactory senses.
- Social structure: live in large, highly organized colonies with a single breeding queen, a rarity among rodents.
- Metabolic features: low basal metabolic rate, tolerance to low oxygen and high carbon‑dioxide environments, and the ability to survive prolonged periods without water.
Habitat is confined to arid regions of East Africa, where individuals excavate extensive underground networks. Their diet consists mainly of underground tubers, roots, and occasionally insects.
Taxonomically, the naked mole‑rat is placed as follows:
- Order: Rodentia
- Family: Bathyergidae
- Genus: Heterocephalus
- Species: H. glaber
The name “naked mole‑rat” reflects its hairless appearance and burrowing lifestyle, clarifying why it is frequently mistaken for a mouse that resembles a mole.