GLIRES

Rodents and Rabbits

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Order RODENTIA

• Learn more about rodents from
  1. the University of California Museum of Paleontology
  2. the University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web

 Characters

1. single pair of curved, evergrowing incisors with enamel restricted to the anterior face [Fig. 18.1] long diastema between incisors and first cheek tooth [Fig. 18.1] lower molars without a paraconid

   Typical rodent tooth system from Wikipedia

2. Rodent jaw musculature [Fig. 18.3] protrogomorphous sciuromorphous hystricomorphous myomorphous Figure modified from Romer, 1945

3. Sciurognathi and Hystricognathi [Fig. 18.4]
4. over 40% of all mammalian species are rodents

Families, etc. discussed in lecture

1. Family Aplodontidae [Fig. 17.7]
   1. the only living protrogomorphous rodents
   2. North American endemic family.
   3. Aplodontia rufa is the only species in this monotypic family.
      
2.  

   Family Sciuridae tree & ground squirrels (marmots, prairie dogs), "flying" squirrels (fig. 18.8, 18.9) Prairie Dogs as keystone species Bernoulli Goes Underground

   Sciurus niger - fox squirrel (left) and Spermophilus - ground squirrel (right).  photographs © 2001 by  Dr. Allan H. Chaney, used with permission

3. Family Castoridae
   1. Castor canadensis, American beaver
   2. beavers are keystone species
   3. Tierra del Fuego: the beavers must die
4. Family Geomyidae [Fig. 17.8]
   1. pocket gophers
5. Family Heteromyidae
   1. pocket mice and kangaroo rats
   2. xeric adaptations
   3. Dipodomys
6. Family Dipodidae 
7. Family Muridae
   1.  730 species in 150 genera in 5 subfamilies
      1. Murinae(126, 569): The Old World Rats and Mice
      2. Gerbillinae (16, 103)
         1. Gerbil Information page
8. Cricetidae
   1. 681 species in 130 genera and 6 subfamilies
      1. Sigmodontinae (74, 377)
         1. Neotropical rats and mice
         2. Neotropical Sigmodontinae from Scott Steppan
      2. Neotominae (16, 124)
         1. deer mice, wood rats, and relatives
         2. the Peromyscus website from the University of South Carolina
      3. Arvicolinae (28, 151)
         1. voles and lemmings
         2. r-selection
         3. lemming migrations
      4. Cricetinae (7, 18)
         1. hamsters
            
9. Bathyergidae
   1. Heterocephalus glaber from the National Zoo
   2. naked mole rat mammaries from Paul Sherman et al.
   3. Eusociality
10.    

11. Caviidae Cavies, Guinea pigs, maras (the Patagonian hare) Hydrochoeridae: Capybaras are now considered a subfamily (Hydrochoerinae) of the Caviidae for more information access the capybara page considered as fish for Lent, Fridays

    Mara Cal Photos © 2000 John White.

    Capybaras, Click on image to enlarge; ©2000 ZooNet/ Birmingham Zoo

12. Hystricidae
    1. Old World Porcupines
       

13. Erethizontidae New World Porcupines Left: Coendu prehensilis - South American prehensile tailed porcupine. Picture taken by Will Lukefahr at the US National Zoological Park Right: Erethizon dorsatum - North American porcupine.  photograph © 2001 by  Dr. Allan H. Chaney, used with permission

     
14. Chinchillidae
15. Myocastoridae
    1. Myocastor coypus, the nutria

 Order LAGOMORPHA 

• Learn more about bunnies from
  1. the University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
  2. IUCN /SSC Lagomorph Specialist Group Home Page.  - The World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission. 

 Characters

1. 2/1 incisors, second pair of uppers, small and peg-like, directly behind the first
2. evergrowing incisors and diastema [Fig. 17.24]
3. fenestrated maxilla [Fig. 17.24]
4. scrotum anterior to penis (as in marsupials)
5. soles of feet entirely furred
6. hypsodont cheek teeth
7. terrestrial herbivores
8. copraphagy (also rodents, shrews)

 Family Ochotonidae- pikas (fig 17.25, 17.26)

• the University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
1. Nearctic, Palearctic
2. pinna short, no tail, short limbs
3. no supraorbital process
4. cure and store hay
5. live in talus slopes in alpine areas; plus steppe and forest
    

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