Quantitative and systematic behavioral profiling reveals social complexity in eusocial naked mole-rats

In highly organized animal societies, individual behavioral differences and close social relationships are crucial for group success and cohesion. However, in naked mole-rats, a eusocial mammal, these factors remain poorly understood because monitoring all colony members simultaneously is challenging. We developed an automated radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking system to continuously collect behavioral data from entire colonies, monitoring 102 individuals from five colonies for 30 days. Based on behavioral parameters, we statistically identified distinct behavioral phenotypes, comprising one cluster for breeders and six clusters for nonbreeders. Breeders formed strong social bonds, consistently remaining close in activity rhythm synchrony, spatial proximity, and directional following. In contrast, nonbreeders exhibited behavioral heterogeneity according to their cluster: One cluster avoided other active nonbreeders, whereas another cluster attracted frequent following. Our study highlights social complexity in this eusocial mammal and establishes a robust platform for further investigations into naked mole-rat social dynamics.