Anecdotal observation of a sexual encounter between two male naked mole-rats

Abstract

Same-sex sexual behaviours (SSBs) are widespread across the animal kingdom, yet little consensus exists regarding their potential adaptive functions or evolutionary history. To fully address questions such as why or how a trait has evolved, it is important to first understand its natural history. Here, we present evidence of SSBs in two male naked mole-rats for the first time. Due to extreme natal philopatry, most naked mole-rats never disperse, making encounters with potential mates valuable in fitness terms. However, in captive colonies of naked mole-rats, a rare disperser morph has been described. We speculate that such dispersing individuals may be indiscriminatory in their mating strategy, copulating with conspecifics regardless of sex, to counter the risk of missed reproductive opportunities. This behavioural strategy would contrast with the common characterisation of naked mole-rats, which describes them as fiercely xenophobic and hostile to unfamiliar individuals. Further, the observation of an indiscriminate mating strategy in a species with limited opportunities for dispersal provides interesting context for the study of the evolution of SSBs.