Sicista
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Sicista
Birch mice (genus ''Sicista'') are small jumping rodents that resemble mice with long, tufted tails and very long hind legs, allowing for remarkable leaps. They are the only extant members of the family Sminthidae. They are native to Eurasian forests and steppes. All variants possess a long tail of of length and weigh about . Head and body length of and hind foot length of . The animal's skin color is light brown or dark-brown to brownish yellow on the upper side and paler on the underside, but generally brownish. Birch mice have a vast geographic distribution in that they inhabit a wide variety of habitats, from semiarid areas to subalpine meadows. Species Nineteen species are listed by the American Society of Mammalogists as of 2021: * Armenian birch mouse, ''Sicista armenica'' * Northern birch mouse, ''Sicista betulina'' * Caucasian birch mouse, ''Sicista caucasica'' * Long-tailed birch mouse, ''Sicista caudata'' * Tsimlyansk birch mouse, ''Sicista cimlanica'' * Chinese bi ...
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Sicista Cimlanica
Birch mice (genus ''Sicista'') are small jumping rodents that resemble mice with long, tufted tails and very long hind legs, allowing for remarkable leaps. They are the only extant members of the family Sminthidae. They are native to Eurasian forests and steppes. All variants possess a long tail of of length and weigh about . Head and body length of and hind foot length of . The animal's skin color is light brown or dark-brown to brownish yellow on the upper side and paler on the underside, but generally brownish. Birch mice have a vast geographic distribution in that they inhabit a wide variety of habitats, from semiarid areas to subalpine meadows. Species Nineteen species are listed by the American Society of Mammalogists as of 2021: * Armenian birch mouse, '' Sicista armenica'' * Northern birch mouse, ''Sicista betulina'' * Caucasian birch mouse, '' Sicista caucasica'' * Long-tailed birch mouse, '' Sicista caudata'' * Tsimlyansk birch mouse, '' Sicista cimlanica'' * Chine ...
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Sminthidae
Sminthidae is a family of mouse-like jumping rodents. They are represented by only one extant genus, ''Sicista'', represented by 19 species found throughout most of Eurasia, from central Europe east to Siberia, and south to southern China. However, they were much more diverse and had a much wider range in prehistoric times, having multiple genera and being found not only in Eurasia but also throughout North America, where they existed up to the early Pleistocene. They have a well-attested fossil record which dates as far back as the early Oligocene. They were formerly classified as the subfamily Sicistinae in the family Dipodidae alongside the jerboas and jumping mice, but phylogenetic evidence supports all three of these belonging to distinct families, thus leaving only the jerboas in Dipodidae. Extant species * Genus ''Sicista'' ** Armenian birch mouse ''Sicista armenica'' ** Northern birch mouse, ''Sicista betulina'' ** Caucasian birch mouse, ''Sicista caucasica'' ** Long-ta ...
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Nordmann's Birch Mouse
Nordmann's birch mouse (''Sicista loriger'') is a species of birch mouse in the family Sminthidae. It is named after Finnish biologist Alexander von Nordmann. It is native to eastern and southeastern Europe. Taxonomy It was long thought to be a subspecies of the southern birch mouse (''S. subtilis''), but a 2016 study found sufficient genetic and anatomical divergence for it to be considered its own species. Distribution It is restricted to the western portion of the Pontic–Caspian steppe, where it is known only from a few isolated populations in southern Ukraine, west Belgorod in Russia, and eastern Romania. In addition, it may potentially be found in Bulgaria and Moldova. Status This species has a fragmented distribution due to its reliance on the largely developed steppe habitat. Populations in these fragmented regions also face ongoing threats from development and agriculture. Due to this, this species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List The Int ...
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Sicista Napaea
The Altai birch mouse (''Sicista napaea'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae. It is native to Russia and Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki .... A baby Altai birch mouse is called a 'pinkie, kitten or pup'. The females are called 'doe' and males 'buck'. A Altai birch mouse group is called a 'nest, colony, harvest, horde or mischief'. References Further reading *Holden, M. E. and G. G. Musser. 2005. Family Dipodidae. pp. 871–893 ''in'' ''Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference''. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. *https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286722260_An_integrative_systematic_revision_of_the_European_southern_birch_mice_Rodentia_Sminthidae_Sicista_subt ...
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Altai Birch Mouse
The Altai birch mouse (''Sicista napaea'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae. It is native to Russia and Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki .... A baby Altai birch mouse is called a 'pinkie, kitten or pup'. The females are called 'doe' and males 'buck'. A Altai birch mouse group is called a 'nest, colony, harvest, horde or mischief'. References Further reading *Holden, M. E. and G. G. Musser. 2005. Family Dipodidae. pp. 871–893 ''in'' ''Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference''. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. *https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286722260_An_integrative_systematic_revision_of_the_European_southern_birch_mice_Rodentia_Sminthidae_Sicista_subt ...
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Sicista Betulina
The northern birch mouse (''Sicista betulina'') is a small rodent about 5 to 8 cm long (without the tail), weighing 5 to 13 g. It lives in northern Europe and Asia in forest and marsh zones. It hibernates in burrows. It eats shoots, grains, berries, and sometimes insects. Description The northern birch mouse is a small mouse with a relatively long tail. The adult head and body length is with a tail of . Adults vary in weight between . The upper parts are yellowish-grey with a brown sheen and the underparts are a pale greyish-yellow. A black stripe runs along the spine from the head to the base of the tail. Its voice is a high-pitched whistle. Distribution and habitat The northern birch mouse occurs in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Northern Asia. Its main range extends from the Baltic region, Poland and the Czech Republic eastwards as far as Lake Baikal in Siberia, and from the Arctic Circle southwards to the Carpathians. Isolated populations occur in Nor ...
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Caucasian Birch Mouse
The Caucasian birch mouse (''Sicista caucasica'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae, that is endemic to Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig .... Reports that it occurs in Turkey probably refer to Armenian birch mouse (''Sicista armenica''), from which it can only be reliably distinguished on the basis of karyotype. The Caucasian birch mouse inhabits the Western Montane Caucasus area, land situated between the Black sea and the Caspian sea. References External links * Sicista Mammals of Russia Endemic fauna of Russia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Mammals described in 1925 {{rodent-stub ...
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Sicista Caucasica
The Caucasian birch mouse (''Sicista caucasica'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae, that is endemic to Russia. Reports that it occurs in Turkey probably refer to Armenian birch mouse (''Sicista armenica''), from which it can only be reliably distinguished on the basis of karyotype A karyotype is the general appearance of the complete set of metaphase chromosomes in the cells of a species or in an individual organism, mainly including their sizes, numbers, and shapes. Karyotyping is the process by which a karyotype is disce .... The Caucasian birch mouse inhabits the Western Montane Caucasus area, land situated between the Black sea and the Caspian sea. References External links * Sicista Mammals of Russia Endemic fauna of Russia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Mammals described in 1925 {{rodent-stub ...
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Southern Birch Mouse
The southern birch mouse (''Sicista subtilis'') is a species of birch mouse in the family Sminthidae. It is native to southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and potentially northern Mongolia and China. Taxonomy The Hungarian birch mouse (''S. trizona'') and Nordmann's birch mouse (''S. loriger'') were previously thought to be subspecies representing isolated western populations of ''S. subtilis'', but phylogenetic and anatomical evidence supports them being distinct species. A 2018 study detected a distinct, previously unknown genetic lineage of ''S. subtilis'' in the North Caucasus. Description The most prominent characteristic of the southern birch mouse is the dark stripe down the center of the back, which is bordered by two narrow bright stripes on both sides. From head to rump it measures from 56 to 72 mm, with a tail from 110 to 130% of the main body length. The background fur color is gray-brown. Ecology The southern birch mouse is pronouncedly a steppe dweller. It mak ...
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Sicista Subtilis
The southern birch mouse (''Sicista subtilis'') is a species of birch mouse in the family Sminthidae. It is native to southern Russia, Kazakhstan, and potentially northern Mongolia and China. Taxonomy The Hungarian birch mouse (''S. trizona'') and Nordmann's birch mouse (''S. loriger'') were previously thought to be subspecies representing isolated western populations of ''S. subtilis'', but phylogenetic and anatomical evidence supports them being distinct species. A 2018 study detected a distinct, previously unknown genetic lineage of ''S. subtilis'' in the North Caucasus. Description The most prominent characteristic of the southern birch mouse is the dark stripe down the center of the back, which is bordered by two narrow bright stripes on both sides. From head to rump it measures from 56 to 72 mm, with a tail from 110 to 130% of the main body length. The background fur color is gray-brown. Ecology The southern birch mouse is pronouncedly a steppe dweller. It mak ...
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Northern Birch Mouse
The northern birch mouse (''Sicista betulina'') is a small rodent about 5 to 8 cm long (without the tail), weighing 5 to 13 g. It lives in northern Europe and Asia in forest and marsh zones. It hibernates in burrows. It eats shoots, grains, berries, and sometimes insects. Description The northern birch mouse is a small mouse with a relatively long tail. The adult head and body length is with a tail of . Adults vary in weight between . The upper parts are yellowish-grey with a brown sheen and the underparts are a pale greyish-yellow. A black stripe runs along the spine from the head to the base of the tail. Its voice is a high-pitched whistle. Distribution and habitat The northern birch mouse occurs in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Northern Asia. Its main range extends from the Baltic region, Poland and the Czech Republic eastwards as far as Lake Baikal in Siberia, and from the Arctic Circle southwards to the Carpathians. Isolated populations occur in Nor ...
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Sicista Armenica
The Armenian birch mouse (''Sicista armenica'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae. Description It is a small rodent, like the mouse, the average weight of 10 g and up to 9 cm long, excluding the semi-prehensile tail, which slightly exceeds the length of the body. The body is brown, darker in the upper region. Biology The species shows nocturnal and feeds on seeds, berries and insects. Shifts in the ground with small jumps and can easily climb on the bushes and trees due to its semi-prehensile tail. The nest, oval shaped, is made of plant remains in a shallow hole dug by the animal itself. Distribution and habitat The species is endemic to Armenia, found in mixed forests of coniferous and broadleaf trees in the area upstream of the river Marmarik. Status and conservation The Zoological Society of London, on the basis of evolutionary uniqueness and smallness of the population, considers Armenian birch mouse one of the 100 species of mammal Mam ...
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