[2] René Primevère Lesson was the first to describe the common mole-rat in 1826, based on an animal captured near Paarl, and called it Bathyergus hottentotus.
The following year, the Dutch zoologist Anton Brants described a specimen from the eastern part of the Cape Colony which he named Bathyergus caecutiens.
However, the current combination was already made in 1906 by Oldfield Thomas and Harold Schwann, but with an unnecessary addition: Cryptomys hottentotus talpoides.
In 1964, Gerrit de Graaff in his dissertation considers all these forms as belonging to the same species and thus all other names are synonyms of Cryptomys hottentotus.
[4] Common mole-rats form colonies, essentially family groups with the largest female and male being the only reproductive pair.
[5] Burrowing has a negative economic impact in that it damages human property but it is also positive in that it improves soil drainage and turnover.
In arid environments they have lower individual body masses; this reduces their need for food and improves energy conservation.
[6] These mole-rats also have long sensory hairs called vibrissae that stand out from the pelage (fur covering) over their body and hind legs.
When the mole-rat has accumulated a suitable batch of loose earth, it reverses to push the soil out of the tunnel.