Unusual External Adaptations in the Rock Hyrax

Activity in two unrelated genera of mole-rats, Tachyoryetes and Heliophobius, was studied in the field by recording the movements of animals tagged with radioactive wire. Tachyoryetes shows a single marked activity peak and only leaves its nest between 10.00 and 19.00 hour. Heliophobius shows a more dispersed and prolonged activity pattern although peak activity occurs over approximately the same period as in Tachyoryetes. Heliophobius spends over 50 of the day out of its nest, Tachyoryetes, under 25%.

These differences can be attributed to a different function of the nest in the two genera (Tachyoryetes has a multipurpose nest; Heliophobius uses its nest solely for rest), and also to the fact that Tachyoryetes has light-sensitive eyes whereas Heliophobius appears unable to appreciate light; Tachyoryetes periodically comes to the surface to forage and this exposure to light may trigger the 24-hour activity cycle.