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Gerbils
Gerbillinae is one of the subfamilies of the rodent family Muridae and includes the gerbils, jirds, and sand rats. Once known as desert rats, the subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and meriones (genus), jirds, all of which are adapted to Arid climate, arid habitats. Most are primarily active during the day, making them Diurnality, diurnal (but some species, including the common household pet, exhibit crepuscular behavior), and almost all are omnivore, omnivorous. The gerbil got its name as a diminutive form of "jerboa," an unrelated group of rodents occupying a similar ecological niche. Gerbils are typically between long, including the tail, which makes up about half of their total length. One species, the great gerbil (''Rhombomys opimus''), originally native to Turkmenistan, can grow to more than . The average adult gerbil weighs about . One species, the Mongolian gerbil (''Meriones unguiculatus''), also known as t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meriones (rodent)
''Meriones'' is a rodent genus that includes the gerbil most commonly kept as a pet, ''Meriones unguiculatus''. The genus contains most animals referred to as jirds, but members of the genera ''Sekeetamys'', ''Brachiones'', and sometimes ''Pachyuromys'' are also known as jirds. The distribution of ''Meriones'' ranges from northern Africa to Mongolia. ''Meriones'' jirds tend to inhabit arid regions including clay desert, sandy desert, and steppe, but are also in slightly wetter regions, and are an agriculture, agricultural pest (organism), pest. The genus was named by Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger, Illiger in 1811, deriving from the Greek word ''μηρος'' (femur). However the name is shared with Greek warrior Meriones (mythology), Meriones in Homer's ''Iliad'' which has brought confusion to the meaning of the scientific names, specially for the popular pet Mongolian gerbil. Description Adult ''Meriones'' species range in size from 9 to 18 cm (head and body), with tails equal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meriones (genus)
''Meriones'' is a rodent genus that includes the gerbil most commonly kept as a pet, '' Meriones unguiculatus''. The genus contains most animals referred to as jirds, but members of the genera ''Sekeetamys'', '' Brachiones'', and sometimes '' Pachyuromys'' are also known as jirds. The distribution of ''Meriones'' ranges from northern Africa to Mongolia. ''Meriones'' jirds tend to inhabit arid regions including clay desert, sandy desert, and steppe, but are also in slightly wetter regions, and are an agricultural pest. The genus was named by Illiger in 1811, deriving from the Greek word ''μηρος'' (femur). However the name is shared with Greek warrior Meriones in Homer's ''Iliad'' which has brought confusion to the meaning of the scientific names, specially for the popular pet Mongolian gerbil. Description Adult ''Meriones'' species range in size from 9 to 18 cm (head and body), with tails equal to or slightly longer than the rest of the animals. Weights vary widely ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fat-tailed Gerbil
The fat-tailed gerbil (''Pachyuromys duprasi''), also called the duprasi gerbil or doop, is a rodent belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae. It is the only member of the genus ''Pachyuromys''. These rodents are the most docile species of the gerbil subfamily. Fat-tailed gerbils have been available on the pet market for decades, but in the 21st century breeders can be hard to find. They are sometimes considered as pocket pets. Other common English names are: fat-tailed jird, fat-tailed rat, and beer mat gerbil. Description The fat-tailed gerbil is a medium-sized gerbil. Its body length is about , with a tail length of about . The hair at the back and the head is yellow-coloured, with a dark grey base and a small black tip. The belly is white. Fat-tailed gerbils weigh between in the wild, but in captivity can weigh between . Their body is round and somewhat flattened. They have no clear neck and a very sharp face, with large oval-shaped black eyes. The ears are positioned quit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Somali Pygmy Gerbil
The Somali pygmy gerbil (''Microdillus peeli'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Microdillus''. It is found only in Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is dominated by grass and/or shrubs located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and t .... References * Gerbils Endemic fauna of Somalia Mammals described in 1898 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by William Edward de Winton {{Gerbillinae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodent
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. 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 mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rabbits, hares, and pikas, whose i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bushy-tailed Jird
The bushy-tailed jird or bushy-tailed dipodil (''Sekeetamys calurus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Sekeetamys''. It is found in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Its natural habitat is rocky areas. Description The bushy-tailed jird is a large mouse-like rodent with a bushy tail in the subfamily Gerbillinae. It has a length of between and a tail of between . Its average weight is between . The ears are large and there are pale patches around the eyes. Dorsally, the hairs are yellowish-brown tipped with black, with the flanks being rather paler than the back. There is a sharp demarcation line between the flanks and the whitish underparts. The tail is yellowish-brown at its base, the rest being greyish-black except for the usually white tip. The tail is well furred throughout its length and held upright. This bushy tail is unique among small rodents in Egypt except for the Asian garden dormouse (''Eliomys melanuru ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Gerbil
The great gerbil (''Rhombomys opimus'') is a large rodent found throughout much of Central Asia. Description The largest of the gerbils, great gerbils have a head and body length of . Their skulls are distinctive by having two grooves in each incisor. They have large front claws used for burrowing. Distribution and habitat Great gerbils are found in arid habitats, predominantly in sandy or clay deserts. They are found in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Predators The great gerbil is preyed on by foxes, owls, kites, wildcats, vultures, and cobras. Ecology and behavior Great gerbils live in family groups and occupy one burrow per family. Their burrows can be fairly extensive with separate chambers for nests and food storage. Great gerbils spend considerably more time in the burrows during winter, but do not hibernate. They are predominantly diurnal. Food consists mostly of vegetable matter. The animals are often colonial. Longevity ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Gerbil
The Indian gerbil (''Tatera indica'') also known as antelope rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in southern Asia from Syria to Bangladesh. It is the only species in the genus ''Tatera''. Members of the genus ''Gerbilliscus ''Gerbilliscus'' is a genus of rodent in the subfamily Gerbillinae (gerbils) of the family Muridae. It contains the following species, all native to Africa: * Cape gerbil (''Gerbilliscus afra'') * Boehm's gerbil (''Gerbilliscus boehmi'') * Highv ...'' have historically been placed in ''Tatera''. Description Head and body length is 17–20 cm. Tail is 20–21 cm. Dorsal surface including entire head is light brown or light brown with rusty wash. Underparts are white. Tail fully furred, dark blackish brown with grayish sides and prominent black tuft on tip. Fur on body soft, sparse underneath; tail fur is longer. Eyes are large and prominent. Bounding gait is distinguished when running. Reproduction Both the sexes of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cape Short-eared Gerbil
The Cape short-eared gerbil (''Desmodillus auricularis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Desmodillus''. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are hot desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...s and temperate desert. References * Coetzee, N. 2004''Desmodillus auricularis'' Downloaded on 19 July 2007. * Gerbils [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pouched Gerbil
The pouched gerbil (''Desmodilliscus braueri'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Desmodilliscus'' and the subtribe Desmodilliscina. It is found across western Africa from Mauritania east to Sudan. Its natural habitat is dry savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to .... This species is probably the smallest of the familia Muridae. It weighs 6 to 14 grams, its length is 4 to 8 cm without the shorter, poorly haired tail. References Resources * Granjon, L. 2004''Desmodilliscus braueri'' Downloaded on 19 July 2007. * [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Przewalski's Gerbil
Przewalski's gerbil or Przewalski's jird (''Brachiones przewalskii'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus 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 nom ... ''Brachiones'', and is found only in China. References * * Mammals described in 1889 Gerbils Rodents of China Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Eugen Büchner {{Gerbillinae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ammodile
The ammodile, walo or Somali gerbil (''Ammodillus imbellis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the monotypic, only species in the genus ''Ammodillus''. It is found in Ethiopia and Somaliland. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. References * Gerbils Mammals of Ethiopia Mammals of Somalia Mammals described in 1898 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Gerbillinae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
