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Rodentia

(Order)

Overview

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Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing.1][2]

Forty percent of mammal species are rodents, and they are found in vast numbers on all continents other than Antarctica. Common rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters.[1] Rodents have sharp incisors that they use to gnaw wood, break into food, and bite predators. Most rodents eat seeds or plants, though some have more varied diets. Some species have historically been pests, eating seeds stored by people[3] and spreading disease.[4]

Size and range of order

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In terms of number of species?although not necessarily in terms of number of organisms (population) or biomass?rodents make up the largest order of mammals. There are about 2,277 species of rodents (Wilson and Reeder, 2005), with over 40 percent of mammalian species belonging to the order.[5] Their success is probably due to their small size, short breeding cycle, and ability to gnaw and eat a wide variety of foods. (Lambert, 2000)

Rodents are found in vast numbers on all continents except Antarctica, most islands, and in all habitats except oceans. They are the only non-volant, non-marine placental order?and in particular are the only placental order besides bats (Chiroptera) and Pinnipeds?to have re ached Australia without human introduction.

Characteristics

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Dentition

Typical rodent tooth system

All rodents share the characteristic that their dentition is highly specialised for gnawing. It is this specialisation which gives rodents their name from the Latin, rodere, to gnaw and dens, dentis, tooth.[6] All rodents have a single pair of upper and a single pair of lower incisors, followed by a gap (diastema), and then one or more molars or premolars. Rodent incisors grow continuously and must be kept worn down by gnawin g. Their anterior and lateral surfaces are covered with enamel, but the posterior surface is exposed dentine. During gnawing, the incisors grind against each other, wearing away the softer dentine leaving the enamel edge as the blade of a chisel.[7] This ?self-sharpening? system is very effective and is one of the keys to the enormous success of rodents.[8] Rodents lack canines, and have a space (diastema) between their incisors and premolars. Rodents use their teeth for cutting wood, biting through the skin of fruit, or for defense. Nearly all rodents feed on plants, seeds in particular, but there are a few exceptions which eat insects (grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster) or fish (beavers, Castor spp.). Some squirrels are known to eat passerine birds like cardinals and blue jays.

Size

The capybara, the largest living rodent, can weigh up to 91 kg (200 lb).

Many rodents are small; the tiny African pygmy mouse, Mus minutoides, can be as little as 6 cm (2.4 in) in length and 7 g (0.25 oz) in weight at maturity, and the Baluchistan Pygmy Jerboa, Salpingotulus michaelis, is of roughly similar or slightly smaller dimensions. On the other hand, the capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, usually weighs up to 65 kg although one individual was reported as weighing 91 kg,[9] and the largest known rodent, the extinct Josephoartigasia monesi, is estimated to have weighed about 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), and possibly up to 1,534 kg (3,380 lb)[10] or 2,586 kg (5,700 lb).[11]

Ecology and use by man

Rodents are important in many ecosystems because they reproduce rapidly, and can function as food sources for predators, mechanisms for seed dispersal, and as disease vectors. Humans use rodents as a source of fur, as pets, as model organisms in animal testing, for food, and even for detecting land mines.[12] Due to the wide diversity of their characteristics, some of which are considered uncommon or unique amongst mammals, rodents are used widely in research.[13] For example, the naked mole rat, Heterocephalus glaber, is the only known mammal that is poikilothermic and also does not produce the neurotransmitter substance P; it is therefore used in studies on thermoregulation and pain.

Members of non-rodent orders such as Chiroptera (bats), Scandentia (treeshrews), Soricomorpha (shrews and moles), Lagomorpha (hares, rabbits and pikas) and mustelid carnivores such as weasels and mink are sometimes confused with rodents.[citation needed]

Evolution

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Masillamys sp. fossil from the Messel Pit fossil site

The fossil record of rodent-like mammals begins shortly after the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs 65 million years ago, as early as the Paleocene. Some molecular clock data, however, suggest that modern rodents (members of the order Rodentia) already appeared in the late Cretaceous, although other molecular divergence estimations are in agreement with the fossil record.[14][15] By the end of the Eocene epoch, relatives of beavers, dormice, squirrels, and other groups appeared in the fossil record. They originated in Laurasia, the supercontinent composed of today's North America, Europe, and Asia. Some species colonized Africa, giving rise to the earliest hystricognaths. From Africa hystricognaths rafted to South America, an isolated continent during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. By the Miocene, Africa collided with Asia, allowing rodents such as porcupines to spread into Eurasia. During the Pliocene, rodent fossils appeared in Australia. Although marsupials are the most prominent mammals in Australia, rodents now make up almost 25% of the continent's mammal species. Meanwhile, the Americas became joined by the Isthmus of Panama and some rodents participated in the resulting Great American Interchange; sigmodontines surged southward and caviomorphs headed north.

Classification

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2/3 of rodent species are in the superfamily Muroidea (rats, mice, and related species). The families Muridae (blue) and Cricetidae (red) make up the bulk of the Muroidea.

Standard classification

The rodents are part of the clades Glires (along with lagomorphs), Euarchontoglires (along with lagomorphs, primates, treeshrews, and colugos), and Boreoeutheria (along with most other placental mammals). The order Rodentia may be divided into suborders, infraorders, superfamilies and families.

Classification scheme:

ORDER RODENTIA (from Latin, rodere, to gnaw)

Alternative classifications

The above taxonomy uses the shape of the lower jaw (sciurognath or hystricognath) as the primary character. This is the most commonly used approach for dividing the order into suborders. Many older references emphasize the zygomasseteric system (suborders Protrogomorpha, Sciuromorpha, Hystricomorpha, and Myomorpha).

Several molecular phylogenetic studies have used gene sequences to determine the relationships among rodents, but these studies are yet to produce a single consistent and well-supported taxonomy. Some clades have been consistently produced such as:

The positions of the Castoridae, Geomyoidea, Anomaluridae, and Pedetidae are still being debated.

Monophyly or polyphyly?

In 1991, a paper submitted to Nature proposed that caviomorphs should be reclassified as a separate order (similar to Lagomorpha), based on an analysis of the amino acid sequences of guinea pigs.[16] This hypothesis was refined in a 1992 paper, which asserted the possibility that caviomorphs may have diverged from myomorphs prior to later divergences of Myomorpha; this would mean caviomorphs, or possibly hystricomorphs, would be moved out of the rodent classification into a separate order.[17] A minority scientific opinion briefly emerged arguing that guinea pigs, degus, and other caviomorphs are not rodents,[18][19] while several papers were put forward in support of rodent monophyly.[20][21][22] Subsequent studies published since 2002, using wider taxon and gene samples, have restored consensus among mammalian biologists that the order Rodentia is monophyletic.[23][24]

>
  • Superfamily Muroidea
    • Family Calomyscidae: mouse-like hamsters
    • Family Cricetidae: hamsters, New World rats and mice, voles
    • Family Muridae: true mice and rats, gerbils, spiny mice, crested rat
    • Family Nesomyidae: climbing mice, rock mice, white-tailed rat, Malagasy rats and mice
    • Family Platacanthomyidae: spiny dormice
    • Family Spalacidae: mole rats, bamboo rats, and zokors
  • Suborder Sciuromorpha
    • Family Aplodontiidae: mountain beaver
    • Family Gliridae (also Myoxidae, Muscardinidae): dormice
    • Family Sciuridae: squirrels, including chipmunks, prairie dogs, & marmots

    • Alternative classifications

    The above taxonomy uses the shape of the lower jaw (sciurognath or hystricognath) as the primary character. This is the most commonly used approach for dividing the order into suborders. Many older references emphasize the zygomasseteric system (suborders Protrogomorpha, Sciuromorpha, Hystricomorpha, and Myomorpha).

    Several molecular phylogenetic studies have used gene sequences to determine the relationships among rodents, but these studies are yet to produce a single consistent and well-supported taxonomy. Some clades have been consistently produced such as:

    The positions of the Castoridae, Geomyoidea, Anomaluridae, and Pedetidae are still being debated.

    Monophyly or polyphyly?

    In 1991, a paper submitted to Nature proposed that caviomorphs should be reclassified as a separate order (similar to Lagomorpha), based on an analysis of the amino acid sequences of guinea pigs.[16] This hypothesis was refined in a 1992 paper, which asserted the possibility that caviomorphs may have diverged from myomorphs prior to later divergences of Myomorpha; this would mean caviomorphs, or possibly hystricomorphs, would be moved out of the rodent classification into a separate order.[17] A minority scientific opinion briefly emerged arguing that guinea pigs, degus, and other caviomorphs are not rodents,[18][19] while several papers were put forward in support of rodent monophyly.[20][21][22] Subsequent studies published since 2002, using wider taxon and gene samples, have restored consensus among mammalian biologists that the order Rodentia is monophyletic.[23][24]

    References

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    1. ^ a b "rodent - Ency clopedia.com". http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-rodent.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
    2. ^ "Rodents: Gnawing Animals". http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/Animals/Rodents.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
    3. ^ Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Leirs H (2009). "The Year of the Rat ends: time to fight hunger!". Pest Manag Sci 65 (4): 351?2. doi:10.1002/ps.1718. PMID 19206089. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121686000/abstract. 
    4. ^ Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A (2009). "Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health". Crit Rev Microbiol 35 (3): 221?70. doi:10.1080/10408410902989837. PMID 19548807. http://www.informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10408410902989837. 
    5. ^ Myers, Phil (2000). "Rodentia". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodentia.html. Retrieved 2006-05-25. 
    6. ^ Pearsall, J., ed. (2002). The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 10th ed. rev.. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1,239. ISBN 0-19-860572-2. 
    7. ^ Hurst, J.L., (1999). Introduction to rodents. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals, Vol. 1, Terrestrial Vertebrates, 7th edn. Ed. Poole, T., pp. 262?273. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford
    8. ^ Myers, P. (2000) Rodentia (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodentia.html
    9. ^ http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-264-01-0001.pdf
    10. ^ Millien, Virginie (05 2008). "The largest among the smallest: the body mass of the giant rodent Josephoartigasia monesi". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275 (1646): 1953?1955. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0087. PMC 2596365. PMID 18495621. http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/pg31525230323q27/?p=35f8c90fe97d44c9b32766e547837566&pi=0. Retrieved 2008-05-27. 
    11. ^ Rinderknecht, Andr?s; Blanco, R. Ernesto (01 2008). "The largest fossil rodent" (pdf). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275 (1637): 923?928. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1645. PMC 2599941. PMID 18198140. http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/34j867846u164624/fulltext.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-27. 
    12. ^ Wines, Michael (2004-05-19). "Gambian rodents risk death for bananas". The Age (The Age Company Ltd.). http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/18/1084783512636.html. Retrieved 2006-05-25.  "A rat with a nose for landmines is doing its bit for humanity" Cited as coming from the New York Times in the article.
    13. ^ Sherwin, C.M., (2010). The Husbandry and Welfare of Non-traditional Laboratory Rodents. In ?UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals?, R. Hubrecht and J. Kirkwood (Eds). Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 25, pp. 359-369
    14. ^ Douzery, E.J.P., F. Delsuc, M.J. Stanhope, and D. Huchon (2003). "Local molecular clocks in three nuclear genes: divergence times for rodents and other mammals and incompatibility among fossil calibrations". Journal of Molecular Evolution 57: S201?13. doi:10.1007/s00239-003-0028-x. PMID 15008417. 
    15. ^ Horner, D.S., K. Lefkimmiatis, A. Reyes, C. Gissi, C. Saccone, and G. Pesole (2007). "Phylogenetic analyses of complete mitochondrial genome sequences suggest a basal divergence of the enigmatic rodent Anomalurus". BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 16. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-7-16. PMC 1802082. PMID 17288612. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1802082. 
    16. ^ Graur, D.; Hide, W.; Li, W. (1991). "'Is the guinea-pig a rodent?'". Nature 351 (6328): 649?652. doi:10.1038/351649a0. PMID 2052090. 
    17. ^ Li, W.; Hide, W.; Zharkikh, A.; Ma, D.; Graur, D. (1992). "'The molecular taxonomy and evolution of the guinea pig.'". Journal of Heredity 83 (3): 174?81. PMID 1624762. 
    18. ^ D'Erchia, A.; Gissi, C.; Pesole, G.; Saccone, C.; Arnason, U. (1996). "'The guinea-pig is not a rodent.'". Nature 381 (6583): 597?600. doi:10.1038/381597a0. PMID 8637593. 
    19. ^ Reyes, A.; Pesole, G.; Saccone, C. (2000). "'Long-branch attraction phenomenon and the impact of among-site rate variation on rodent phylogeny.'". Gene 259 (1?2): 177?87. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(00)00438-8. PMID 11163975. 
    20. ^ Cao, Y.; Adachi, J.; Yano, T.; Hasegawa, M. (1994). "'Phylogenetic place of guinea pigs: No support of the rodent-polyphyly hypothesis from maximum-likelihood analyses of multiple protein sequences.'". Molecular Biology and Evolution 11 (4): 593?604. PMID 8078399. 
    21. ^ Kuma, K.; Miyata, T. (1994). "'Mammalian phylogeny inferred from multiple protein data.'". Japanese Journal of Genetics 69 (5): 555?66. doi:10.1266/jjg.69.555. PMID 7999372. 
    22. ^ Robinson-Rechavi, M.; Ponger, L.; Mouchiroud, D. (2000). "'Nuclear gene LCAT supports rodent monophyly.'". Molecular Biology and Evolution 17 (9): 1410?1412. PMID 10960041. 
    23. ^ Lin, Y-H; McLenachan, PA; Gore, AR; Phillips, MJ; Ota, R; Hendy, MD; Penny, D (2002). "Four new mitochondrial genomes and the increased stability of evolutionary trees of mammals from improved taxon sampling". Molecular Biology and Evolution 19 (12): 2060?2070. PMID 12446798. 
    24. ^ Carleton, Michael D., and Musser, Guy G. "Order Rodentia". Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, 2005, vol. 2, p. 745. (Concise overview of the literature)

    Taxonomy

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    The Order Rodentia is a member of the Mirorder Simplicidentata. Here is the complete "parentage" of Rodentia:

    The Order Rodentia is further organized into finer groupings including:

    Families

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    Abrocomidae

    Chinchilla rats or chinchillones are members of the family Abrocomidae. This family has few members compared to most rodent families with only 9 known living species. They resemble Chinchillas in appearance, with a similar soft fur and silvery-grey color, but have a body-structure more like a short-tailed rat. They are social, tunnel-dwelling animals, and live in the Andes Mountains of South America. They are probably herbivorous, although this is not clear. [more]

    Agoutidae

    [more]

    Alagomyidae

    [more]

    Allomyidae

    [more]

    Anomaluridae

    Anomaluridae is a family of rodents found in central Africa. They are known as anomalures or scaly-tailed squirrels. There are seven extant species, classified into three genera. Most are brightly colored. [more]

    Aplodontidae

    [more]

    Aplodontiidae

    [more]

    Armintomyidae

    [more]

    Bathyergidae

    [more]

    Bathyergoididae

    Bathyergoides is an extinct genus of rodent from Africa thought to be related to the modern blesmols. It is the only member of the family Bathyergoididae. [more]

    Calomyscidae

    Mouse-like hamsters are a group of small rodents found in Syria, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. They are found in rocky outcrops and semi-mountainous area in desert regions. [more]

    Capromyidae

    [more]

    Castoridae

    The family Castoridae contains the two living species of beaver and their fossil relatives. This was once a highly diverse group of rodents, but is now restricted to a single genus, Castor. [more]

    Caviidae

    [more]

    Chapattimyidae

    [more]

    Chinchillidae

    The family Chinchillidae contains the chinchillas, viscachas, and their fossil relatives. They are restricted to southern and western South America, often in association with the Andes. They are large rodents, weighing from 800 g (28 oz) to 8 kg (18 lb), with strong hind legs and large ears. All species have thick, soft fur, which is considered valuable in some species. [more]

    Cricetidae

    The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, and New World rats and mice. At almost 600 species, it is the second largest family of mammals, and has members throughout the New World, Asia, and Europe. [more]

    Ctenodactylidae

    Gundis or comb rats (family Ctenodactylidae) are a group of small, stocky rodents found in Africa. They live in rocky deserts across the northern parts of the continent. The family comprises 4 living genera and 5 species (Speke's Gundi, Felou Gundi, Desert Gundi, North African Gundi and Mzab Gundi), as well as numerous extinct genera and species (McKenna and Bell, 1997). They are in the superfamily . They first came to the notice of western naturalists in Tripoli in 1774 and were given the name 'gundi mice'. [more]

    Ctenomyidae

    The tuco-tucos are members of a group of rodents that belong to the family Ctenomyidae. The tuco-tucos belong to a single genus: Ctenomys, but they include some 60 different species. The relationships among the species are debated by taxonomists. Their closest relatives are degus and other octodontids (Woods and Kilpatrick, 2005). All species of tuco-tuco are found in South America from Peru and central Brazil southward. The tuco-tucos of South America have an ecological role equivalent to that of the pocket gophers of North America. [more]

    Cylindrodontidae

    [more]

    Dasyproctidae

    [more]

    Diamantomyidae

    Diamantomyidae is a family of extinct hystricognath rodents from Africa and Asia. [more]

    Diatomyidae

    Diatomyidae is a family of hystricomorphous, rodents found in Asia. It is currently represented by a single known living species, Laonastes aenigmamus. [more]

    Dinomyidae

    [more]

    Dipodidae

    The Dipodidae, or dipodids, are a family of rodents found across the northern hemisphere. This family includes over 50 species among the 16 genera. They include the jerboas, jumping mice, and birch mice. Different species are found in grassland, deserts, and forests. They are all capable of saltation (jumping while in a bipedal stance), a feature that is most highly evolved in the desert-dwelling jerboas. [more]

    Echimyidae

    The spiny rats are a group of hystricognath rodents in the family Echimyidae. They are distributed from central Central America through much of South America. They were also found in the West Indies until the 19th century. Some authorities consider the nutria from southern and central South America to be a part of this family. [more]

    Eocardiidae

    [more]

    Eomyidae

    Eomyidae is a family of extinct rodents from North America and Eurasia related to modern day pocket gophers and kangaroo rats. The family includes the earliest known gliding rodent, Eomys (Storch et al., 1996) [more]

    Erethizontidae

    The New World porcupines, or Erethizontidae, are large arboreal rodents, distinguished by the spiny covering from which they take their name. They inhabit forests and wooded regions across North America, and into northern South America. Although both the New World and Old World porcupine families belong to the Hystricognathi branch of the vast order Rodentia, they are quite different and are not closely related. [more]

    Erithizontidae

    [more]

    Eutypomyidae

    [more]

    Florentiamyidae

    [more]

    Geomyidae

    The pocket gophers are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, though several ground squirrels of the family Sciuridae are often called gophers as well. The name "pocket gopher" on its own may be used to refer to any of a number of subspecies of the family. [more]

    Gliridae

    The dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae. (This family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists.) Dormice are mostly found in Europe, although some live in Africa and Asia. They are particularly known for their long periods of hibernation. Because only one species of dormouse is native to the British Isles, in everyday English usage dormouse usually refers to one species (the hazel dormouse) as well as to the family as a whole. [more]

    Heptaxodontidae

    The giant hutias are an extinct group of large rodents known from fossil and subfossil material in the West Indies. One species, Amblyrhiza inundata, is estimated to have weighed between 50 and 200 kg (110 and 440 lb), big specimens being as large as an American Black Bear. This is much larger than Capybara, the largest rodent living today, but still much smaller than Josephoartigasia monesi, the largest rodent known. These animals may have persisted into historic times and were probably used as a food source by aboriginal humans. All giant hutias are in a single family Heptaxodontidae, which contains no living species; this grouping seems to be paraphyletic and artificial however. [more]

    Hydrochaeridae

    The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest extant rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs. Native to South America, the capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually live in groups of 10?20 individuals. The capybara is not a threatened species, though it is hunted for its meat and skin. [more]

    Hydrochoeridae

    [more]

    Hystricidae

    The Old World porcupines, or Hystricidae, are large terrestrial rodents, distinguished by the spiny covering from which they take their name. They range over the south of Europe, most of Africa, India, and the Maritime Southeast Asia as far east as Borneo. Although both the Old World and New World porcupine families belong to the Hystricognathi branch of the vast order Rodentia, they are quite different and are not closely related. [more]

    Ischyromyidae

    [more]

    Ivanantoniidae

    [more]

    Kenyamyidae

    [more]

    Laonastidae

    Diatomyidae is a family of hystricomorphous, rodents found in Asia. It is currently represented by a single known living species, Laonastes aenigmamus. [more]

    Laredomyidae

    [more]

    Muridae

    Muridae is the largest family of mammals. It contains over 700 species found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. They have been introduced worldwide. The group includes true mice and rats, gerbils, and relatives. [more]

    Mylagaulidae

    [more]

    Myocastoridae

    [more]

    Myophiomyidae

    [more]

    Myoxidae

    The dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae. (This family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists.) Dormice are mostly found in Europe, although some live in Africa and Asia. They are particularly known for their long periods of hibernation. Because only one species of dormouse is native to the British Isles, in everyday English usage dormouse usually refers to one species (the hazel dormouse) as well as to the family as a whole. [more]

    Neoepiblemidae

    [more]

    Octodontidae

    Octodontidae is a family of rodents, restricted to southwestern South America. Thirteen species of octodontid are recognised, arranged in nine genera. The best known species is the degu, Octodon degus. [more]

    Parapedetidae

    [more]

    Pedetidae

    Pedetidae is a family of mammals from the rodent order. The two living species, the springhares, are distributed throughout much of southern Africa and also around Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Fossils have been found as far north as Turkey. Together with the anomalures, Pedetidae forms the suborder Anomaluromorpha. The fossil genus is also related. [more]

    Petauristidae

    [more]

    Petromuridae

    The dassie rat, Petromus typicus, is an African rodent found among rocky outcroppings. It is the only living member of its genus, Petromus, and family, Petromuridae. The name "dassie" means "hyrax" in Afrikaans, and the two animals are found in similar habitats. Petromus means "rock mouse" and dassie rats are one of many rodents that are sometimes called rock rats. The family and genus names are sometimes misspelled as Petromyidae and Petromys. [more]

    Phiomyidae

    [more]

    Protoptychidae

    [more]

    Reithroparamyidae

    [more]

    Rhizomyidae

    [more]

    Rhizospalacidae

    [more]

    Sciuravidae

    [more]

    Sciuridae

    Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and have been introduced to Australia. The earliest known squirrels date from the Eocene and are most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormouse among living species. [more]

    Simimyidae

    [more]

    Spalacidae

    The Spalacidae, or spalacids are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. They are native to eastern Asia, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and south-eastern Europe. It includes the blind mole rats, bamboo rats, root rats, and zokors. This family represents the oldest split (excluding perhaps the Platacanthomyinae) in the muroid superfamily, and comprises animals adapted to a way of life. It was thought that these rodents evolved adaptations to living underground independently until recent genetic studies demonstrated that they form a monophyletic group. Members of the Spalacidae are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other members of the Muroidea. [more]

    Theridomyidae

    [more]

    Thryonomyidae

    The genus Thryonomys, also known as cane rats, grass cutters, or cutting grass, is a genus of rodent found throughout Africa south of the Sahara, the only members of the family Thryonomyidae. They are eaten in some African countries and are a pest species on many crops. [more]

    Tsaganomyidae

    [more]

    Yuomyidae

    [more]

    Zapodidae

    A Family in the Kingdom Animalia.[1] [more]

    Zegdoumyidae

    [more]

    More info about the Family Zegdoumyidae may be found here.

    References

    [ Back to top ]
    1. ^ a b "rodent - Encyclopedia.com". http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-rodent.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
    2. ^ "Rodents: Gnawing Animals". http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/Animals/Rodents.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
    3. ^ Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Leirs H (2009). "The Year of the Rat ends: time to fight hunger!". Pest Manag Sci 65 (4): 351?2. doi:10.1002/ps.1718. PMID 19206089. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121686000/abstract. 
    4. ^ Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A (2009). "Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health". Crit Rev Microbiol 35 (3): 221?70. doi:10.1080/10408410902989837. PMID 195488 07. http://www.informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10408410902989837. 
    5. ^ Myers, Phil (2000). "Rodentia". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodentia.html. Retrieved 2006-05-25. 
    6. ^ Pearsall, J., ed. (2002). The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 10th ed. rev.. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1,239. ISBN 0-19-860572-2. 
    7. ^ Hurst, J.L., (19 99). Introduction to rodents. In: The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals, Vol. 1, Terrestrial Vertebrates, 7th edn. Ed. Poole, T., pp. 262?273. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford
    8. ^ Myers, P. (2000) Rodentia (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodentia.html
    9. ^ http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-264-01-0001.pdf
    10. ^ Millien, Virginie (05 2008). "The largest among the smallest: the body mass of the giant rodent Josephoartigasia monesi". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275 (1646): 1953?1955. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0087. PMC 2596365. PMID 18495621. http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/pg31525230323q27/?p=35f8c90fe97d44c9b32766e547837566&pi=0. Retrieved 2008-05-27. 
    11. ^ Rinderknecht, Andr?s; Blanco, R. Ernesto (01 2008). "The largest fossil rodent" (pdf). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275 (1 637): 923?928. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1645. PMC 2599941. PMID 18198140. http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/34j867846u164624/fulltext.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-27. 
    12. ^ Wines, Michael (2004-05-19). "Gambian rodents risk death for bananas". The Age (The Age Company Ltd.). http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/18/1084783512636.html. Retrieved 2006-05-25.  "A rat with a nose for landmines is doing its bit for humanity" Cited as coming from the New York Times in the article.
    13. ^ Sherwin, C.M., (2010). The Husbandry and Welfare of Non-traditional Laboratory Rodents. In ?UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals?, R. Hubrecht and J. Kirkwood (Eds). Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 25, pp. 359-369
    14. ^ Douzery, E.J.P., F. Delsuc, M.J. Stanhope, and D. Huchon (2003). "Local molecular clocks in three nuclear genes: divergence times for rodents and other mammals and incompatibility among fossil calibrations". Journal of Molecular Evolution 57: S201?13. doi:10.1007/s00239-003-0028-x. PMID 15008417. 
    15. ^ Horner, D.S., K. L efkimmiatis, A. Reyes, C. Gissi, C. Saccone, and G. Pesole (2007). "Phylogenetic analyses of complete mitochondrial genome sequences suggest a basal divergence of the enigmatic rodent Anomalurus". BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 16. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-7-16. PMC 1802082. PMID 17288612. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1802082. 
    16. ^ Graur, D.; Hide, W.; Li, W. (1991). "'Is the guinea-pig a rodent?'". Nature 351 (6328): 649?652. doi:10.1038/351649a0. PMID 2052090. 
    17. ^ Li, W.; Hide, W.; Zharkikh, A.; Ma, D.; Graur, D. (1992). "'The molecular taxonomy and evolution of the guinea pig.'". Journal of Heredity 83 (3): 174?81. PMID 1624762. 
    18. ^ D'Erchia, A.; Gissi, C.; Pesole, G.; Saccone, C.; Arnason, U. (1996). "'The guinea-pig is not a rodent.'". Nature 381 (6583): 597?600. doi:10.1038/381597a0. PMID 8637593. 
    19. ^ Reyes, A.; Pesole, G.; Saccone, C. (2000). "'Long-branch attraction phenomenon and the impact of among-site rate variation on rodent phylogeny.'". Gene 259 (1?2): 177?87. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(00)00438-8. PMID 11163975. 
    20. ^ Cao, Y.; Adachi, J.; Yano, T.; Hasegawa, M. (1994). "'Phylogenetic place of guinea pigs: No support of the rodent-polyphyly hypothesis from maximum-likelihood analyses of multiple protein sequences.'". Molecular Biology and Evolution 11 (4): 593?604. PMID 8078399. 
    21. ^ Kuma, K.; Miyata, T. (1994). "'Mammalian phylogeny inferred from multiple protein data.'". Japanese Journal of Genetics 69 (5): 555?66. doi:10.1266/jjg.69.555. PMID 79993 72. 
    22. ^ Robinson-Rechavi, M.; Ponger, L.; Mouchiroud, D. (2000). "'Nuclear gene LCAT supports rodent monophyly.'". Molecular Biology and Evolution 17 (9): 1410?1412. PMID 10960041. 
    23. ^ Lin, Y-H; McLenachan, PA; Gore, AR; Phillips, MJ; Ota, R; Hendy, MD; Penny, D (2002). "Four new mitochondrial genomes and the increased stability of evolutionary trees of mammals from improved taxon sampling". Molecular Biology and Evolution 19 (12): 2060?2070. PMID 12446798. 
    24. ^ Carleton, Michael D., and Musser, Guy G. "Order Rodentia". Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, 2005, vol. 2, p. 745. (Concise overview of the literature)

    Footnotes

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    1. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=113695
    1. ^ a b "rodent - Encyclopedia.com". http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-rodent.html. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
    2. ^ "Rodents: Gnawing Animals". http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/Animals/Rodents.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-03. 
    3. ^ Myers, Phil (2000). "Rodentia". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rodentia.html. Retrieved on 2006-05-25. 
    4. ^ Capybaras (Hydrochaeridae): Information and Much More from Answers.com
    5. ^ Millien, Virginie (05 2008). "The largest among the smallest: the body mass of the giant rodent Josephoartigasia monesi". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 1: -1. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.0087 . http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/pg31525230323q27/?p=35f8c90fe97d44c9b32766e547837566&pi=0. Retrieved on 2008-05-27. 
    6. ^ Rinderknecht, Andrés; Blanco, R. Ernesto (01 2008). "The largest fossil rodent" (pdf). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 275: 923–928. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1645. http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/34j867846u164624/fulltext.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-05-27. 
    7. ^ Pearsall, J., ed (2002). The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 10th ed. rev.. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1,239. ISBN 0-19-860572-2. 
    8. ^ Wines, Michael (2004-05-19). "Gambian rodents risk death for bananas". The Age (The Age Company Ltd.). http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/18/1084783512636.html. Retriev ed on 2006-05-25.  "A rat with a nose for landmines is doing its bit for humanity" Cited as coming from the New York Times in the article.
    9. ^ Douzery, E.J.P., F. Delsuc, M.J. Stanhope, and D. Huchon (2003). "Local molecular clocks in three nuclear genes: divergence times for rodents and other mammals and incompatibility among fossil calibrations". Journal of Molecular Evolution 57: S201. doi:10.1007/s00239-003-0028-x. 
    10. ^ Horner, D.S., K. Lefkimmiatis, A. Reyes, C. Gissi, C. Saccone, and G. Pesole (2007). "Phylogenetic analyses of complete mitochondrial genome sequences suggest a basal divergence of the enigmatic rodent Anomalurus". BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 16. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-7-16. 
    11. ^ Graur, D., Hide, W. and Li, W. (1991) 'Is the guinea-pig a rodent?' Nature, 351: 649-652.
    12. ^ Li, W., Hide, W., Zharkikh, A., Ma, D. and Graur, D. (1992) 'The molecular taxonomy and evolution of the guinea pig.' Journa l of Heredity, 83 (3): 174-81.
    13. ^ D'Erchia, A., Gissi, C., Pesole, G., Saccone, C. and Arnason, U. (1996) 'The guinea-pig is not a rodent.' Nature, 381 (6583): 597-600.
    14. ^ Reyes, A., Pesole, G. and Saccone, C. (2000) 'Long-branch attraction phenomenon and the impact of among-site rate variation on rodent phylogeny.' Gene, 259 (1-2): 177-87.
    15. ^ Cao, Y., Adachi, J., Yano, T. and Hasegawa, M. (1994) 'Phylogenetic place of guinea pigs: No support of the rodent-polyphyly hypothesis from maximum-likelihood analyses of multiple protein sequences.' Molecular Biology and Evolution, 11: 593-604.
    16. ^ Kuma, K. and Miyata, T. (1994) 'Mammalian phylogeny inferred from multiple protein data.' Japanese Journal of Genetics, 69 (5): 555-66.
    17. ^ Robinson-Rechavi, M., Ponger, L. and Mouchiroud, D. (2000) 'Nuclear gene LCAT supports rodent monophyly.' Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17: 1410-1412.
    18. ^ Lin, Y-H, et al. "Four new mitochondrial genomes and the increased stability of evolutionary trees of mammals from improved taxon sampling." Molecular Biology and Evolution 19 (2002): 2060-2070.
    19. ^ Carleton, Michael D., and Musser, Guy G. "Order Rodentia". Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, 2005, vol. 2, p. 745. (Concise overview of the literature)

    Further Reading

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    External links

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    Sources

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    Last Revised: August 24, 2012
    2012/08/24 13:14:37