RESEARCH ARTICLE Ear Structures of the Naked Mole-Rat, Heterocephalus glaber, and Its Relatives (Rodentia: Bathyergidae) Matthew J. Mason1*, Hannah L. Cornwall1, Ewan St. J. Smith2 1 University of Cambridge, Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2 University of Cambridge, Department of Pharmacology, Cambridge, United Kingdom *
[email protected] a11111 Abstract Although increasingly popular as a laboratory species, very little is known about the periph- eral auditory system of the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber. In this study, middle and inner ears of naked mole-rats of a range of ages were examined using micro-computed tomography and dissection. The ears of five other bathyergid species (Bathyergus suillus, OPEN ACCESS Cryptomys hottentotus, Fukomys micklemi, Georychus capensis and Heliophobius argen- Citation: Mason MJ, Cornwall HL, Smith ES. J. teocinereus) were examined for comparative purposes. The middle ears of bathyergids (2016) Ear Structures of the Naked Mole-Rat, Heterocephalus glaber, and Its Relatives (Rodentia: show features commonly found in other members of the Ctenohystrica rodent clade, includ- Bathyergidae). PLoS ONE 11(12): e0167079. ing a fused malleus and incus, a synovial stapedio-vestibular articulation and the loss of the doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167079 stapedius muscle. Heterocephalus deviates morphologically from the other bathyergids Editor: Heike Lutermann, University of Pretoria, examined in that it has a more complex mastoid cavity structure, poorly-ossified processes SOUTH AFRICA of the malleus and incus, a `columelliform' stapes and fewer cochlear turns. Bathyergids Received: September 26, 2016 have semicircular canals with unusually wide diameters relative to their radii of curvature. Accepted: November 8, 2016 How the lateral semicircular canal reaches the vestibule differs between species.