bathyergidae

noun

Meaning

A family of African rodents adapted for living entirely underground, characterized by their lack of external ears and powerful digging incisors.

Examples

  • The naked mole-rat is perhaps the most famous member of the Bathyergidae family.
  • Evolutionary biologists study Bathyergidae to understand how mammals adapt to low-oxygen environments.

Synonyms: mole-rat family, bathyergids