Cryptomys hottentotus

(Lesson, 1826)

Common Mole-rat

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodentia
Suborder : Hystricomorpha
Infraorder : Hystricognathi
Superfamily : incertae sedis
Family : Bathyergidae
Genus : Cryptomys

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Lesson, R.P. 1826. Mammifères nouveaux ou peu connus, decrits et figurés dans l'Atlas zoologique du Voyage aulour du monde de la corvette la Coquille. Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles et de Géologie 8:95-96.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4422535

Original name as described

Bathyergus hottentotus

Other common names

African Mole-rat · Common Blesmol · Hottentot Mole-rat · Southern African Mole-rat

Type locality

near Paarl (east of Cape Town), Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

South Africa

Taxonomy notes

previously included natalensis, mahali, pretoriae, and nimrodi, as well as Fukomys whytei; the synonym listing for Cryptomys species is highly tentative and needs to be investigated carefully for all taxa

Taxonomy notes citation

Monadjem, A., Taylor, P.J., Denys, C. and Cotterill, F.P.D. 2015. Rodents of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Biogeographic and Taxonomic Synthesis. . De Gruyter, Berlin, Germany. · Visser, J. H., Bennett, N. C., & van Vuuren, B. J. (2019). Phylogeny and biogeography of the African Bathyergidae: a review of patterns and processes. PeerJ, 7, e7730.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001257

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Bathyergus ludwigii

(A. Smith, 1829)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

ludwigii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1843.2.28.6

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/204942e5-fbac-4bd1-b177-b79b6e6c9734

Authority page

439

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2310848

Authority publication

Zoological Journal

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus hottentottus talpoides

(O. Thomas & Schwann, 1906)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

talpoides

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1905.5.7.89

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ed4ed55b-3e48-4fb2-9599-ee9a3ecdd15a

Authority page

166

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/32051492

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus jorisseni

(H. L. Jameson, 1909)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

jorisseni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1909.7.2.23

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/b2ad4f65-eae1-432b-b59b-d9ce84c846cc

Authority page

466

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22097845

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus vandami

(A. Roberts, 1917)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

vandami

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 1487

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

273

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50440055

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus natalensis pallidus

(A. Roberts, 1917)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

pallidus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Type

TM 2044

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

278

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50440060

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys natalensis nemo

G. M. Allen, 1939

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

nemo

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

TM 2044

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

429

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2782326

Authority publication

Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys cradockensis

A. Roberts, 1924

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

cradockensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 2389

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

73

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys transvaalensis

A. Roberts, 1924

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

transvaalensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 2463

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

73

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys holosericeus valschensis

A. Roberts, 1946

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

valschensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 2518

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

316

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys bigalkei

A. Roberts, 1924

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

bigalkei

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 2806

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

73

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys orangiae

A. Roberts, 1926

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

orangiae

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 2810

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

259

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Cryptomys vetensis

A. Roberts, 1926

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

vetensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

TM 3512

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

259

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus holosericeus

(A. Roberts, 1913)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

holosericeus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

94

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439552

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Roberts (1913:94, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439552) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)

Georychus hottentottus

(A. Roberts, 1913)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

hottentottus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

93

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439551

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Roberts (1913:93, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439551) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)

Georychus Jorrisseni

(A. Roberts, 1913)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

jorrisseni

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

100

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439558

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Roberts (1913:100, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439558) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)

Georychus talpoides

(A. Roberts, 1913)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

talpoides

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

99

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439557

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Roberts (1913:99, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439557) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)

Cryptomys hottentotus

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

hottentotus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

195

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Corbet & Hill (1980:195) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:593) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)
  4. Happold (2013:655) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27625)
  5. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:368) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #5755) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #5755) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1001257) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  9. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/111932681/50535223) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus

C. A. Woods & C. W. Kilpatrick, 2005

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

hottentotus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)
  2. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:368) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

Georhychus cæcutiens

(E. Blyth, 1863)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

caecutiens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

127

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534808

Authority publication

Calcutta

Name usages

Blyth (1863:127, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534808) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)

Bathyergus hottentotus

(Lesson, 1826)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

hottentotus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

96

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4422535

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences Naturelles et de Géologie

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:250, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207718) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Lesson (1842:122) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Bathyergus caecutiens

(Brants, 1827)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

caecutiens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

37

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47496926

Authority publication

Berlin

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georhychus holosericeus

(J. A. Wagner, 1843)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

holosericeus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

373

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/31060600

Authority publication

Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Typhloryctes coecutiens

(Fitzinger, 1867)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

coecutiens

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

unjustified_emendation

Authority page

503

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39323582

Authority publication

Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Georychus exenticus

(Trouessart, 1899)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

exenticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

1338

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53436553

Authority publication

Berlin

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus albus

(A. Roberts, 1913)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

albus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

100

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439558

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

  1. Roberts (1913:100, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50439558) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17656)
  2. Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

Georychus vryburgensis

(A. Roberts, 1917)

Family

Bathyergidae

Root name

vryburgensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

274

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50440056

Authority publication

Annals of the Transvaal Museum

Name usages

Woods & Kilpatrick (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8545)

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