A brief guide to rodent species

MYOMORPHA: Mouse-like rodents


The suborder MYOMORPHA is by far the largest of the Order Rodenta, and contains over a quarter of all mammal species alive on Earth today (Alderton). Members can be found on all continents, even the poles, thanks to their capacity for smuggling themselves in as man's commensals.Myomorphs are distinguished by their very strong arrangement of the masseter muscle, with both branches being attached further within the skull. This arrangement gives the myomorphs their very strong gnawing ability.

Alderton also points out that the common name 'rat' for many rodent species is often misleading. True rats are contained within the suborder MYOMORPHA, but many other 'rat' species actually belong to the other two rodent suborders.

MYOMORPH FAMILIES
Common Name Species Name Origin Comments
Rats & Mice Family Muridae Worldwide Large family containing several subfamilies.
Jerboas Family Dipodidae North Africa, Middle East, Central and Eastern Asia Desert-dwelling rodents.
Jumping Mice & Birch Mice Family Zapodidae Mainly found in temperate zone of northern hemisphere The Zapodidae comprise two subfamilies, jumping mice (Subfamily Zapodinae) and birch mice (Subfamily Sicistinae, found only in Eurasia). All are fairly small rodents.
Dormice Family Gliridae Europe, North Africa and southern Africa, Japan The origins of the Gliridae are recorded in fossil evidence as far back as 60 million years. Dormice are distinguished by their adaptability to an arboreal existence, with long tails and claws for gripping branches, and by their lack of a caecum, usually located at the junction of the small and large intestines and which usually contains protozoa and bacteria that help to break down cellulose matter (ie plants, seeds, etc). They have good vision. Many of the northern species and populations hibernate during the winter.
Family Seleviniidae E. Kazakhstan This family contains just one species, the desert dormouse Selevinia betpakdalensis, which inhabits the desert area around Lake Balkhash. It was only discovered in 1939.


Individual Species Guides

Mice & Rats
Hamsters & Gerbils
Lemmings & Voles

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