Until recently, scientists did not know of a close vertebrate analogue to the extreme form of altruism observed in eusocial insects like ants and bees, whereby individuals cooperate, sometimes even sacrificing their own opportunities to survive and reproduce, for the good of others. However, such a vertebrate society may exist among underground colonies of the highly social rodent Heterocephalus glaber, the naked mole rat.
The naked mole rat is not as sensitive to other rodents to pain as its skin is not as sensitive. They also have a very slow metabolism and breathe very slowly as well. This curious rodent has also been found to be extremely resistant to cancer.
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