Naked mole rats are fascinating! →[More:]

essexjan's Flickr pic reminded me.

I was introduced to them by Errol Morris, and I've seen them live and in person at the Portland Zoo.

They're the only mammal known to have a eusocial organization social structure (like bees and ants), where there is a queen and sterile workers. They also have a social caste system: some of the workers are tunnelers, some are guards, etc.

Also, they're basically cold-blooded, they can't feel pain, and they have the largest litter size among mammals: the litter size is usually twice the size as the queen has teats, which breaks all the mammal rules. The pups peaceably share nursing time.

They have highly efficient hemoglobin that captures oxygen from the bloodstream, and they breathe levels of carbon dioxide that would suffocate other mammals. They actually seal their burrows!

And finally, they live about twice as long as they should, according to their size and their metabolisms, but scientists can't figure out why.

I like 'em.