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Spalacinae
The blind mole-rats, also known as the fossorial or subterranean mole rats, are a subfamily (Spalacinae) of rodents in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and Western Asia, western & central Asia. The Hystricognathi, hystricognath mole-rats of the family Bathyergidae are completely unrelated, but some other forms are also in the family Spalacidae. Zokors (subfamily Myospalacinae), root rats, and bamboo rats (subfamily Rhizomyinae) are spalacids also sometimes referred to as mole rats. Blind mole-rats are in the Family (biology), family Spalacidae, but are unique enough to be given a separate subfamily, Spalacinae. Alternate opinions on Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy consider the blind mole-rats to be the only members of the family Spalacidae and rank other spalacid subfamilies as full families. Other authors group all members of the Taxonomic rank, superfamily Muroidea into a single family, Muridae. The Spalacinae contains two Genus, genera and eight species. Some autho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spalax (genus)
''Spalax'' is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, subfamily ''Spalacinae'' (blind mole-rats). It is one of two extant genera in the subfamily Spalacinae, alongside ''Nannospalax''.'''' Species in this genus are found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia. They are completely blind and have a subterranean lifestyle. Taxonomy Prior to 2013, ''Spalax'' was widely considered the only member of Spalacinae, with all blind mole-rat species being grouped within it. However, phylogenetic and morphological evidence supported some of the species within it forming a distinct lineage that diverged from the others during the Late Miocene, when a marine barrier formed between Anatolia and the Balkans. These species were reclassified into the genus ''Nannospalax'', making ''Spalax'' one of two extant spalacine genera.'''' Species of genus ''Spalax'' *Mehely's blind mole-rat'', S. antiquus'' * Sandy blind mole-rat, ''S. arenarius'' * Giant blind mole-rat, ''S. giganteus'' * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spalax
''Spalax'' is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, subfamily '' Spalacinae'' (blind mole-rats). It is one of two extant genera in the subfamily Spalacinae, alongside ''Nannospalax''.'''' Species in this genus are found in eastern Europe and western & central Asia. They are completely blind and have a subterranean lifestyle. Taxonomy Prior to 2013, ''Spalax'' was widely considered the only member of Spalacinae, with all blind mole-rat species being grouped within it. However, phylogenetic and morphological evidence supported some of the species within it forming a distinct lineage that diverged from the others during the Late Miocene, when a marine barrier formed between Anatolia and the Balkans. These species were reclassified into the genus ''Nannospalax'', making ''Spalax'' one of two extant spalacine genera.'''' Species of genus ''Spalax'' *Mehely's blind mole-rat'', S. antiquus'' * Sandy blind mole-rat, ''S. arenarius'' * Giant blind mole-rat, ''S. giganteus'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Muroidea
The Muroidea are a large superfamily of rodents, including mice, rats, voles, hamsters, lemmings, gerbils, and many other relatives. Although the Muroidea originated in Eurasia, they occupy a vast variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Some authorities have placed all members of this group into a single family, Muridae, due to difficulties in determining how the subfamilies are related to one another. Many of the families within the Muroidea superfamily have more variations between the families than between the different clades. A possible explanation for the variations in rodents is because of the location of these rodents; these changes could have been due to radiation or the overall environment they migrated to or originated in. The following taxonomy is based on recent well-supported molecular phylogenies. The muroids are classified in six families, 19 subfamilies, around 280 genera, and at least 1,750 species. Taxonomy *Family Platacanthomyidae ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 southeastern Europe. It includes the blind mole-rats, bamboo rats, mole-rats, and zokors. This family represents the oldest split (excluding perhaps the Platacanthomyidae) in the muroid superfamily, and comprises animals adapted to a subterranean way of life. These rodents were thought to have evolved adaptations to living underground independently until recent genetic studies demonstrated they form a monophyletic group. Members of the Spalacidae are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other members of the Muroidea. Characteristics Spalacids are mouse- to rat-sized rodents, adapted to burrowing and living underground. They have short limbs, wedge-shaped skulls, strong neck muscles, large incisor teeth, and small eyes and external ears. In the zokors, which dig primarily with their fee ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhizomyinae
The rodent subfamily Rhizomyinae includes the Asian bamboo rats and certain of the African mole-rats. The subfamily is grouped with the Spalacinae and the Myospalacinae into a family of fossorial muroid rodents basal to the other Muroidea. The group includes 17 species classified in 3 genera and 2 tribes: *Subfamily Rhizomyinae **Tribe Rhizomyini - Bamboo rats ***Genus ''Rhizomys'' ****Hoary bamboo rat, ''Rhizomys pruinosus'' ****Chinese bamboo rat, ''Rhizomys sinensis'' ****Large bamboo rat, ''Rhizomys sumatrensis'' ***Genus ''Cannomys'' **** Lesser bamboo rat, ''Cannomys badius'' **Tribe Tachyoryctini ***Genus '' Tachyoryctes'' - African mole-rats ****Ankole African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes ankoliae'' ****Mianzini African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes annectens'' ****Aberdare Mountains African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes audax'' ****Demon African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes daemon'' ****Kenyan African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes ibeanus'' ****Big-headed African mole-rat, ''Tachyoryctes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zokor
Zokors are Asiatic burrowing rodents resembling mole-rats. They include two genera: '' Myospalax'' and '' Eospalax''. Zokors are native to much of China, Kazakhstan, and Siberian Russia. Traditionally, zokors were thought to be closely related to either hamsters ( Cricetinae) or voles ( Arvicolinae), but recent molecular phylogenetic studies have demonstrated they are more closely related to blind mole-rats ( Spalacinae) and root and bamboo rats ( Rhizomyinae) in the family Spalacidae. It appears that one of the first important evolutionary splits in muroid rodents is between burrowing forms and nonburrowing forms. Unlike the other spalacids, which primarily use their incisors, zokors use their powerful front claws for digging. They have small eyes and no external ears. Zokors feed on plant matter such as tubers and seeds. Zokor bone is sometimes used as a more environmentally friendly alternative to tiger bone in traditional Chinese medicine. This product is called ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nannospalax
''Nannospalax'' is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae, found in eastern Europe and western Asia. It is one of two genera in the blind mole-rats (subfamily Spalacinae), alongside ''Spalax''. Members of this genus are also known as small-bodied mole-rats. As with members of the genus ''Spalax'', they are completely blind, with their eyes being entirely covered by skin. Taxonomy and evolution Until 2013, members of this genus were grouped in ''Spalax'', but phylogenetic analysis indicates that both diverged during the late Miocene, about 7.6 million years ago, when a marine barrier formed between Anatolia and the Balkans. It also supports two different subgenera within this genus; ''Nannospalax sensu stricto'' (containing a single species) and ''Mesospalax'', which diverged from each other during the late Miocene or early Pliocene, after the uplift of the Anatolian Plateau''.'' Members of this genus are notable for their extreme chromosomal diversity, some of which may ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Myospalacinae
Zokors are Asiatic burrowing rodents resembling mole-rats. They include two genera: '' Myospalax'' and '' Eospalax''. Zokors are native to much of China, Kazakhstan, and Siberian Russia. Traditionally, zokors were thought to be closely related to either hamsters ( Cricetinae) or voles ( Arvicolinae), but recent molecular phylogenetic studies have demonstrated they are more closely related to blind mole-rats ( Spalacinae) and root and bamboo rats ( Rhizomyinae) in the family Spalacidae. It appears that one of the first important evolutionary splits in muroid rodents is between burrowing forms and nonburrowing forms. Unlike the other spalacids, which primarily use their incisors, zokors use their powerful front claws for digging. They have small eyes and no external ears. Zokors feed on plant matter such as tubers and seeds. Zokor bone is sometimes used as a more environmentally friendly alternative to tiger bone in traditional Chinese medicine. This product is called ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blind Animals
Visual perception in animals plays an important role in the animal kingdom, most importantly for the identification of food sources and avoidance of predators. For this reason, blindness in animals is a unique topic of study. In general, nocturnal animals, nocturnal or subterranean animals have less interest in the visual world, and depend on other sensory modalities. Visual acuity, Visual capacity is a continuum, with humans falling somewhere in the center. Totally blind species *Notoryctes, Marsupial moles * ''Sinopoda scurion'' (blind huntsman spider) * Thaumastochelidae (blind deep-sea lobsters) * Blind cave fish * Cave crickets * Eurycea neotenes, Texas salamanders * Blind flatworms * ''Tasmanipatus anophthalmus'' (blind velvet worm) * ''Typhloperipatus'' * Eyeless shrimp * Eyeless fish * Cave beetles * Cave crayfish * Some Thysanura, bristletails, isopods and copepods. * ''Martialis heureka'' * Caecilians * Polychelidae * Olm (also known as a Proteus) * Scolecophidia (bli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olecranon Process
The olecranon (, ), is a large, thick, curved bony eminence of the ulna, a long bone in the forearm that projects behind the elbow. It forms the most pointed portion of the elbow and is opposite to the cubital fossa or elbow pit. The olecranon serves as a lever for the extensor muscles that straighten the elbow joint. Structure The olecranon is situated at the proximal end of the ulna, one of the two bones in the forearm. When the hand faces forward (supination) the olecranon faces towards the back (posteriorly). It is bent forward at the summit so as to present a prominent lip which is received into the olecranon fossa of the humerus during extension of the forearm. Its base is contracted where it joins the body and the narrowest part of the upper end of the ulna. Its posterior surface, directed backward, is triangular, smooth, subcutaneous, and covered by a bursa. Its superior surface is of quadrilateral form, marked behind by a rough impression for the insertion of the Tr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Incisor
Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, whereas armadillos have none. Structure Adult humans normally have eight incisors, two of each type. The types of incisor are: * maxillary central incisor (upper jaw, closest to the center of the lips) * maxillary lateral incisor (upper jaw, beside the maxillary central incisor) * mandibular central incisor (lower jaw, closest to the center of the lips) * mandibular lateral incisor (lower jaw, beside the mandibular central incisor) Children with a full set of deciduous teeth (primary teeth) also have eight incisors, named the same way as in permanent teeth. Young children may have from zero to eight incisors depending on the stage of their tooth eruption and tooth development. Typically, the mandibular central incisors erupt first, follo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fossorial
A fossorial () animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily, but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, meerkats, and mole salamanders, as well as many beetles, wasps, and bees. Prehistoric evidence The physical adaptation of fossoriality is widely accepted as being widespread among many prehistoric phyla and taxa, such as bacteria and early eukaryotes. Furthermore, fossoriality has evolved independently multiple times, even within a single family. Fossorial animals appeared simultaneously with the colonization of land by arthropods in the late Ordovician period (over 440 million years ago). Other notable early burrowers include '' Eocaecilia'' and possibly ''Dinilysia''. The oldest example of burrowing in synapsids, the lineage which includes modern mammals and their ancestors, is a cynodont, '' Thrinaxodon liorhinus'', found in the Karoo of South Africa, estimated to be 251 million years old. Evidence shows that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
