The rodent subfamily Rhizomyinae includes the Asian bamboo rats and certain of the African mole-rats. The subfamily is grouped with the Spalacinae and the Myospalacinae into a family of fossorial muroid rodents basal to the other Muroidea.
Hinde's rock rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. Oldfield Thomas named it in honor of Sidney Langford Hinde, a British officer and recreational naturalist.
Kaiser's rock rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The woodland thicket rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, arable land, pastureland, and urban areas.
The shining thicket rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
Rahm's brush-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The African groove-toothed rat or mill rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Kemp's thicket rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Bocage's mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Bathyergidae. It is found in Angola, Namibia, possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo, and possibly Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and caves.
Tachyoryctes is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It contains the following species:
The Aberdare Mountains African mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. Some taxonomic authorities consider it to be conspecific with the East African mole-rat.
The Kenyan African mole-rat or Kenyan mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest.
The big-headed African mole rat, also known as the giant root-rat, Ethiopian African mole rat, or giant mole rat, is a rodent species in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia's Bale Mountains. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, where it can reach densities of up to 2,600 individuals per square kilometre. It is threatened by habitat loss. Where the two species overlap, it is the main prey of the endangered Ethiopian wolf.
The Naivasha African mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, moist savanna, arable land, and pastureland.
The King African mole-rat, King mole-rat, or Alpine mole-rat, is a burrowing rodent in the genus Tachyoryctes of family Spalacidae. It only occurs high on Mount Kenya, where it is common. Originally described as a separate species related to Aberdare Mountains African mole-rat, in 1910, some classify it as the same species as the East African mole-rat,.
Rudd's mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is found in Kenya and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, arable land, pastureland, plantations, and heavily degraded former forest.
The Embi mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, moist savanna, arable land, pastureland, plantations, and heavily degraded former forest.
The northeast African mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae and is found in Ethiopia, Somalia, and northwest Kenya. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, dry savanna, high-altitude shrubland and grassland. It lives a solitary existence underground and produces a small litter of pups twice a year, in the two rainy seasons. Some taxonomic authorities lump this species, along with a number of others in the genus, in which case the English name East African mole-rat is used.
Storey's African mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
East African mole-rat has been split into the following species:
