Heterocephalidae – Naked mole-rat

They have a face and body that only a mother can love, but naked mole rats can offer biomedical science

The only eusocial animals known to have evolved a specialized adaptation for living in the dark, these burrowing rats are unique. Weirdness personified: a naked mole rat. Colonies are organized similarly to honey bee hives, with hundreds of workers tending to a single queen and her few consorts.

With a lifespan of 30–40 years, it is one of the longest-living mammals despite its diminutive stature. Their eyes are tiny, and they have limited eyesight. Even though they have little, thin legs, they are incredibly skilled at tunneling and can go backward just as quickly as forward.