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African mole‐rats are subterranean Hystricomorph rodents, distributed widely throughout sub‐Saharan Africa, and displaying a range of social and reproductive strategies from solitary dwelling to the ‘insect‐like’ sociality of the naked mole‐rat, Heterocephalus glaber. Both molecular systematic studies of Rodentia and the fossil record of bathyergids indicate an ancient origin for the family. This study uses an extensive molecular phylogeny and mitochondrial cytochrome b and 12s rRNA molecular clocks to examine in detail the divergence times, and patterns of speciation of the five extant genera in the context of rift valley formation in Africa. Based on a value of 40–48 million years ago (Myr) for the basal divergence of the family (Heterocephalus), we estimate divergence times of 32–40 Myr for Heliophobius, 20–26 Myr for Georychus/Bathyergus and 12–17 Myr for Cryptomys, the most speciose genus. While early …