The Family Thryonomyidae comprises the grasscutters or cane rats, large, herbivorous rodents native to sub-Saharan Africa. These nocturnal, burrowing mammals are adapted to feed primarily on grasses, crops, and other vegetation, often making them important both ecologically as seed dispersers and agriculturally as pests. Thryonomyids have robust bodies, strong incisors for cutting vegetation, and social tendencies that vary from solitary to small family groups. They play a key role in their ecosystems by influencing plant communities and serving as prey for large predators, while some species are also hunted for meat by local human populations.