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Hystricognath
The Hystricognathi are an infraorder of rodents, distinguished from other rodents by the bone structure of their skulls. The masseter medialis (a jaw muscle) passes partially through a hole below each eye socket (called the infraorbital foramen) and connects to the bone on the opposite side. This, together with their lack of an infraorbital plate and the relative size of the infraorbital foramen, distinguishes hystricognaths from other rodent groups. The 18 families within the Hystricognathi are divided into two parvorders, the Phiomorpha and the Caviomorpha. The Caviomorpha are mostly native to South America, with a few species in the Caribbean and North America, while the Phiomorpha occur in the Old World. Behavior Play behavior has been observed in seven hystricognath families. The caviomorphs chase each other, play-wrestle, and gallop. The longer-legged species chase more often than the shorter-legged species. They also rotate their heads and body muscles as a form of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are native to all major land masses except for New Zealand, Antarctica, and several oceanic islands, though they have subsequently been introduced to most of these land masses by human activity. Rodents are extremely diverse in their ecology and lifestyles and can be found in almost every terrestrial habitat, including human-made environments. Species can be arboreal, fossorial (burrowing), saltatorial/richochetal (leaping on their hind legs), or semiaquatic. However, all rodents share several morphological features, including having only a single upper and lower pair of ever-growing incisors. Well-known rodents include Mouse, mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rabbits, hares, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masseter
In human anatomy, the masseter is one of the muscles of mastication. Found only in mammals, it is particularly powerful in herbivores to facilitate chewing of plant matter. The most obvious muscle of mastication is the masseter muscle, since it is the most superficial and one of the strongest. Structure The masseter is a thick, somewhat quadrilateral muscle, consisting of three heads, superficial, deep and coronoid. The fibers of superficial and deep heads are continuous at their insertion. Superficial head The superficial head, the larger, arises by a thick, tendinous aponeurosis from the temporal process of the zygomatic bone, and from the anterior two-thirds of the inferior border of the zygomatic arch. Its fibers pass inferior and posterior, to be inserted into the angle of the mandible and inferior half of the lateral surface of the ramus of the mandible. Deep head The deep head is much smaller, and more muscular in texture. It arises from the posterior third of the lower ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dasyproctidae
Dasyproctidae is a family of large South American rodents, comprising the agoutis and acouchis. Their fur is a reddish or dark colour above, with a paler underside. They are herbivorous, often feeding on ripe fruit that falls from trees. They live in burrows, and, like squirrels, will bury some of their food for later use. Dasyproctids exist in Central and South America, which are the tropical parts of the New World. The fossil record of this family can be traced back to the Late Oligocene (Deseadan in the SALMA classification). As with all rodents, members of this family have incisors, pre-molars, and molars, but no canines. The cheek teeth are hypsodont and flat-crowned. Classification Fossil taxa follow McKenna and Bell, with modifications following Kramarz. * Family Dasyproctidae ** Genus †'' Alloiomys'' ** Genus †'' Australoprocta'' ** Genus †'' Branisamys'' ** Genus †''Incamys'' ** Genus †'' Neoreomys'' ** Genus †'' Megastus'' ** Genus †'' Palmiramys'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myophiomyidae
Myophiomyidae is an extinct family of Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ... hystricognaths. References Hystricognath rodents Prehistoric rodent families Taxa named by René Lavocat Rupelian first appearances Miocene extinctions {{Rodent-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neoepiblemidae
The Neoepiblemidae are an extinct family of hystricognath rodents from South America. The genera '' Dabbenea'' and '' Perumys'' are now included in ''Phoberomys''. The delineation between Neoepiblemidae and Dinomyidae has historically been unclear, with some genera (such as ''Phoberomys'' and '' Eusigmomys'') having varying taxonomic placement. A 2017 study found ''Phoberomys'' to be part of the group, while ''Eusigmomys'' was found to be part of the Dinomyidae. Fossils of the family were found in the Colhuehuapian to Huayquerian Pinturas, Sarmiento, Santa Cruz, Cerro Bandera and Ituzaingó Formations and Colhué Huapí Member of Argentina, the Solimões Formation of Brazil, the Pebas Formation of Peru and the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela. at |
Echimyidae
Echimyidae is the family of neotropical spiny rats and their fossil relatives. This is the most species-rich family of hystricognath rodents. It is probably also the most ecologically diverse, with members ranging from fully arboreal to terrestrial to fossorial to semiaquatic habits. They presently exist mainly in South America; three members of the family also range into Central America, and the hutias are found in the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean. Species of the extinct subfamily Heteropsomyinae formerly lived on Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico in the Antilles, probably until the arrival of Europeans. Characteristics In general form, most spiny rats resemble rats, although they are more closely related to guinea pigs and chinchillas. Most species have stiff, pointed hairs, or spines, that presumably serve for protection from predators. Many echimyids can break off their tails when attacked. This action may confuse predators long enough for the spiny r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinomyidae
The Dinomyidae are a family of South American hystricognath rodents: the dinomyids were once a very speciose group, but now contains only a single living species, the pacarana. Several of the extinct dinomyids were among the largest rodents known to date; these included the bison-sized ''Josephoartigasia monesi'' and the smaller ''Josephoartigasia magna''. The dinomyids are thought to have occupied ecological niches associated with large grazing mammals due to their ability to compete with the native ungulates of South America. On the other side, they could feed on aquatic or swampy plants along the ancient rivers. These large forms disappeared after the formation of a connection to North America. The modern pacarana is only modest in size, considerably smaller than the capybara. The Neoepiblemidae, an entirely extinct family, may actually be part of the Dinomyidae; both groups are undoubtedly closely related. Genera *Family: Dinomyidae **†'' Agnomys'' ''incertae sedis'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diamantomyidae
Diamantomyidae is a family of extinct hystricognath rodents from Africa and Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an .... References Hystricognath rodents Prehistoric rodent families Eocene first appearances Miocene first appearances {{paleo-rodent-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Petromuridae
Petromuridae is a family of hystricognath rodents that contains the dassie rat ''(Petromus typicus)'' of southwestern Africa, the only extant member of this group. The genus ''Petromus ''Petromus'' is a genus of hystricognath rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. Abo ...'' contains a couple of extinct species, and additionally there are fossil genera formerly of the family Thryonomyidae that were found to belong to this family instead; '' Apodecter'', '' Tufamys'' and two species of '' Paraphiomys'' (''australis'' and ''roessneri'') which have yet to be placed in their own genus. References Rodent families Hystricognath rodents {{rodent-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thryonomyidae
Thryonomyidae is a family of hystricognath rodents that contains the cane rats ''(Thryomys)'' found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and a number of fossil genera. Taxonomy Thryonomyidae was formerly more diverse and widespread, with fossil relatives found in India and Arabia as well. The extinct genus '' Sacaresia'' from the island of Mallorca off Spain may also be a member of this family, though its position remains uncertain. *Genus †'' Epiphiomys'' **†''Epiphiomys coryndoni'' *Genus †'' Gaudeamus'' **†''Gaudeamus aegyptius'' *Genus †'' Kochalia'' **†''Kochalia geespei'' *Genus †'' Monamys'' **†''Monamys simonsi'' *Genus †'' Neosciuromys'' **†''Neosciuromys africanus'' *Genus †'' Paraphiomys'' **†''Paraphiomys afarensis'' **†''Paraphiomys hopwoodi'' **†''Paraphiomys knolli'' **†''Paraphiomys occidentalis'' **†''Paraphiomys orangeus'' **†''Paraphiomys pigotti'' **†''Paraphiomys renelavocati'' **†''Paraphiomys shipmani'' *Genus †'' Parau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cephalomyidae
Cephalomyidae is an extinct family of caviomorph rodents from South America. The specific relationships of the family are uncertain, and affinities to both chinchilloid and cavioid rodents have been supported. Most recently, Kramarz in 2005 performed a phylogenetic analysis supporting a relationship to the Cavioidea, as represented by Eocardiidae, although more recent analyses have placed them among the chinchilloids as relatives of the giant neoepiblemid rodents. McKenna and Bell (1997) questioned the validity of the family, placing the cephalomyid genera then known in Dasyproctidae, but Kramarz (2001) subsequently reasserted the distinctiveness of cephalomyids. Fossils of the family have been found in Deseadan to Colhuehuapian Fray Bentos, Deseado, Cerro Bandera and Sarmiento Formations and the Colhué Huapí Member of Argentina and the Puca Group of Bolivia. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenyamyidae
Kenyamyidae is an extinct family of rodents from Africa that lived in the Lower Miocene era. There are two genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ... in the family, ''Kenyamys'' and ''Simonymys'', both described by Lavocat in 1973. There are two species of ''Kenyamys'', ''K. mariae'' and ''K. williamsi''. There is only one species of ''Simonymys'', ''S. genovefae''. References Hystricognath rodents Prehistoric rodent families Taxa named by René Lavocat Miocene first appearances Miocene extinctions {{paleo-rodent-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
