Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 15, 2026

Cryptomys

Cryptomys is the genus of mole-rats, endemic to Africa. Most of the species formerly placed in this genus were moved to the genus Fukomys in 2006.

Last revised
Jun 15, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
230 w
Citations
2
Source
Cryptomys
Temporal range: Early Pliocene to Recent
Cryptomys hottentotus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Bathyergidae
Genus: Cryptomys
J. E. Gray, 1864
Type species
Georychus holosericeus
Wagner, 1842
(= Bathyergus hottentotus Lesson, 1826)
Species

Cryptomys hottentotus
Cryptomys mahali
Cryptomys natalensis
Cryptomys nimrodi
Cryptomys pretoriae

Cryptomys is the genus of mole-rats, endemic to Africa.1 Most of the species formerly placed in this genus were moved to the genus Fukomys in 2006.

Species

The species currently included in this genus are:2

The following species were formerly in Cryptomys but later moved to the genus Fukomys:

References

References

  • Kock D, Ingram CM, Frabotta LJ, Honeycutt RL, Burda H. 2006. On the nomenclature of Bathyergidae and Fukomys n. gen. (Mammalia: Rodentia). Zootaxa 1142: 51–55.