Arvicanthini is a

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

muroid 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 A ...

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. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are nat ...

in the subfamily

Murinae The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families excep ...

. Almost all recent species in this tribe are or were found in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

aside from one species, the

Indian bush rat The Indian bush rat (''Golunda ellioti'') is a rodent species in the family Muridae. It is the only extant member of the genus ''Golunda'', and is the only extant member of the tribe Arvicanthini found outside of Africa. The species is widely di ...

(''Golunda ellioti''), which is found in

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

and

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

. However, some fossil ''

Golunda ''Golunda'' is a genus of murine rodent. Fossil record The Indian bush rat ''(Golunda ellioti)'' is the sole surviving member of this genus, but it was formerly more diverse and widespread, occurring in both Asia and Africa. The last surviving s ...

'' species from India and the genus '' Parapelomys'' (known to have inhabited

Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

) are thought to have also occurred outside Africa, and one species in the fossil genus '' Saidomys'' may have also occurred in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. The genus ''

Canariomys ''Canariomys'' is an extinct genus of rodents (Old World rats and mice) that once existed on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, part of the Canary Islands, Spain. These giant rats could reach a weight of about . They were herbivores; their ...

'' inhabited the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

until being driven to extinction by early human settlers.

Species

Extant species

Species in the tribe include: * ''

Aethomys ''Aethomys'' is a genus of rodent from Africa.CHIMIMBA, CHRISTIAN T., NICO J. DIPPENAAR, and TERENCE J. ROBINSON.Morphometric and morphological delineation of southern African species of Aethomys (Rodentia: Muridae)" Biological Journal of the Li ...

'' division ** Genus ''

'' - bush rats *** Bocage's rock rat, ''Aethomys bocagei'' *** Red rock rat, ''Aethomys chrysophilus'' *** Grant's rock rat, ''Aethomys (Micaelamys) granti'' *** Hinde's rock rat, ''Aethomys hindei'' *** Tete veld aethomys, ''Aethomys ineptus'' ***

Kaiser's rock rat Kaiser's rock rat (''Aethomys kaiseri'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map ...

, ''Aethomys kaiseri'' ***

Namaqua rock rat The Namaqua rock rat (''Aethomys namaquensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is sometimes included in the genus ''Micaelamys''. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, ...

, ''Aethomys (Micaelamys) namaquensis'' ***

Nyika rock rat The Nyika rock rat (''Aethomys nyikae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, and Zambia. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of re ...

, ''Aethomys nyikae'' ***

Silinda rock rat The Selinda veld rat or Silinda rock rat (''Aethomys silindensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in possibly Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest A forest is an area of ...

, ''Aethomys silindensis'' ***

Tinfields rock rat Tinfields rock rat (''Aethomys stannarius'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Cameroon and Nigeria. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassl ...

, ''Aethomys stannarius'' ***

Thomas's rock rat Thomas's rock rat (''Aethomys thomasi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found only in Angola. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present ...

, ''Aethomys thomasi'' * ''

Arvicanthis ''Arvicanthis'' is a genus of rodent from Africa. They are commonly referred to as unstriped grass mice, unstriped grass rats, and kusu rats. Species Genus ''Arvicanthis'' - unstriped grass mice * Abyssinian grass rat, ''Arvicanthis abyssinicus ...

'' division ** Genus ''

'' - unstriped grass mice ***

Abyssinian grass rat The Abyssinian grass rat (''Arvicanthis abyssinicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, arable land Arable land (from the la, ar ...

, ''Arvicanthis abyssinicus'' ***

Sudanian grass rat The Sudanian grass rat (''Arvicanthis ansorgei'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, possibly Benin, possibly Ivory Coast, possibly Ghana, possibly Guinea, and possibly ...

, ''Arvicanthis ansorgei'' ***

Blick's grass rat Blick's grass rat (''Arvicanthis blicki'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. References * Lavren ...

, ''Arvicanthis blicki'' ***

Nairobi grass rat The Nairobi grass rat (''Arvicanthis nairobae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and possibly Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i ...

, ''Arvicanthis nairobae'' ***

Neumann's grass rat Neumann's grass rat (''Arvicanthis neumanni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and possibly Kenya. Its natural habitats are dry savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed wood ...

, ''Arvicanthis neumanni'' ***

African grass rat The Nile rat (''Arvicanthis niloticus'') is a species of rodent in the family Murinae. Taxonomy The species is divided into the following six subspecies. *''A. n. niloticus'': Nile, Egypt; *''A. n. dembeensis '' (): Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea; T ...

, ''Arvicanthis niloticus'' ***

Guinean grass rat The Guinean grass rat (''Arvicanthis rufinus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Benin, Ghana, Togo, possibly Cameroon, possibly Central African Republic, possibly Ivory Coast, possibly Guinea, possibly Liberia, and p ...

, ''Arvicanthis rufinus'' ** Genus ''

Desmomys ''Desmomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Ethiopia. It contains the following species: *Harrington's rat Harrington's rat (''Desmomys harringtoni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Et ...

'' ***

Harrington's rat Harrington's rat (''Desmomys harringtoni'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland Shrubla ...

, ''Desmomys harringtoni'' *** Yalden's rat, ''Desmomys yaldeni'' ** Genus '' Lemniscomys'' - striped grass mice *** Barbary striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys barbarus'' *** Bellier's striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys bellieri'' *** Griselda's striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys griselda'' *** Hoogstraal's striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys hoogstraali'' *** Senegal one-striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys linulus'' *** Buffoon striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys macculus'' *** Mittendorf's striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys mittendorfi'' *** Single-striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys rosalia'' ***

Rosevear's striped grass mouse Rosevear's lemniscomys or Rosevear's striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys roseveari'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Zambia and possibly Angola, where its natural habitat is cryptosephalum dry forest. The species is ...

, ''Lemniscomys roseveari'' ***

Typical striped grass mouse The typical striped grass mouse (''Lemniscomys striatus'') is a small rodent of the suborder Myomorpha in the family Muridae. Taxonomy ''Lemniscomys striatus'' comprises a complex of various similar species.van der Straeten, E., Decher, J., Cort ...

, ''Lemniscomys striatus'' *** Heuglin's striped grass mouse, ''Lemniscomys zebra'' ** Genus ''

Mylomys ''Mylomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally througho ...

'' (African Groove-toothed Rat) ***

African groove-toothed rat The African groove-toothed rat or mill rat (''Mylomys dybowskii'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, ...

, ''Mylomys dybowskii'' ***

Ethiopian mylomys The Ethiopian mylomys (''Mylomys rex'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is only found in Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal De ...

, ''Mylomys rex'' ** Genus ''

Pelomys ''Pelomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains the following species: * Bell groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys campanae'') * Creek groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys fallax'') * Hopkins's groove-toothed s ...

'' - groove-toothed creek rats ***

Bell groove-toothed swamp rat The bell groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys campanae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland ...

, ''Pelomys campanae'' ***

Creek groove-toothed swamp rat The creek groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys fallax'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimb ...

, ''Pelomys fallax'' ***

Hopkins's groove-toothed swamp rat Hopkins's groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys hopkinsi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, possibly Burundi, and possibly Tanzania. Its natural habitat is swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss. ...

, ''Pelomys hopkinsi'' ***

Issel's groove-toothed swamp rat Issel's groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys isseli'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Uganda. Its natural habitats are arable land and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (a ...

, ''Pelomys isseli'' ***

Least groove-toothed swamp rat The least groove-toothed swamp rat (''Pelomys minor'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is moist savanna A savanna or savannah ...

, ''Pelomys minor'' ** Genus ''

Rhabdomys ''Rhabdomys'' is a largely Southern African genus of muroid rodents slightly larger than house mice. They are known variously as striped or four-striped mice or rats. Traditionally the genus has been seen as a single species, ''Rhabdomys pumilio ...

'' (Four-striped Grass Mouse) *** '' Rhabdomys dilectus'' ***

Four-striped grass mouse The four-striped grass mouse (''Rhabdomys pumilio'') or four-striped grass rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found throughout the southern half of Africa up to above sea level, extending as far north as the Democratic Repu ...

, ''Rhabdomys pumilio'' * ''

Dasymys ''Dasymys'' is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice. The genus is endemic to Africa.

'' division ** Genus ''

Dasymys ''Dasymys'' is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice. The genus is endemic to Africa.

'' - shaggy swamp rats *** Glover Allen's shaggy rat, ''Dasymys alleni'' *** Crawford-Cabral's shaggy rat, ''Dasymys cabrali'' *** Cape shaggy rat, ''Dasymys capensis'' *** Fox's shaggy rat, ''Dasymys foxi'' *** '' Dasymys griseifrons'' ***

African marsh rat The African marsh rat or common dasymys (''Dasymys incomtus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, a ...

, ''Dasymys incomtus'' *** '' Dasymys longipilosus'' ***

Montane shaggy rat The montane shaggy rat (''Dasymys montanus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Uganda and possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical o ...

, ''Dasymys montanus'' ***

Angolan marsh rat The Angolan marsh rat (''Dasymys nudipes'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamp ...

, ''Dasymys nudipes'' *** Robert's shaggy rat, ''Dasymys robertsii'' ***

West African shaggy rat The West African shaggy rat (''Dasymys rufulus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natura ...

, ''Dasymys rufulus'' *** Rwandan shaggy rat, ''Dasymys rwandae'' *** ''

Dasymys shortridgei ''Dasymys'' is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice. The genus is endemic to Africa.

'' ***

Tanzanian shaggy rat The Tanzanian shaggy rat (''Dasymys sua'') is a species of shaggy marsh rat endemic to eastern Tanzania, near the Uluguru Mountains. Description Covered in soft, shaggy, reddish to brown fur. Broad shaped head with a short muzzle. Rounded ear ...

, ''Dasymys sua'' * ''

'' division ** Genus ''

'' (Indian bush rat) ***

, ''Golunda ellioti'' * '' Hybomys'' division ** Genus '' Dephomys'' - defua rats *** Defua rat, ''Dephomys defua'' *** Ivory Coast rat, ''Dephomys eburneae'' ** Genus '' Hybomys'' - hump-nosed mice *** Eisentraut's striped mouse, ''Hybomys badius'' *** Father Basilio's striped mouse, ''Hybomys basilii'' *** Moon striped mouse, ''Hybomys lunaris'' *** Miller's striped mouse, ''Hybomys planifrons'' *** Temminck's striped mouse, ''Hybomys trivirgatus'' *** Peters's striped mouse, ''Hybomys univittatus'' ** Genus ''

Stochomys The target rat (''Stochomys longicaudatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the monotypic, only species in the genus ''Stochomys''. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Description The targe ...

'' (Target Rat) *** Target rat, ''Stochomys longicaudatus'' * ''

Oenomys ''Oenomys'' is a genus of African 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% o ...

'' division ** Genus ''

Grammomys ''Grammomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains the following species: * Arid thicket rat (''Grammomys aridulus'') * Short-snouted thicket rat (''Grammomys brevirostris'') * Bunting's thicket rat (''Gramm ...

'' ***

Arid thicket rat The arid thicket rat (''Grammomys aridulus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Sudan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant commun ...

, ''Grammomys aridulus'' *** '' Grammomys brevirostris'' *** Bunting's thicket rat, ''Grammomys buntingi'' *** Gray-headed thicket rat, ''Grammomys caniceps'' *** Mozambique thicket rat, ''Grammomys cometes'' *** Woodland thicket rat, ''Grammomys dolichurus'' *** Forest thicket rat, ''Grammomys dryas'' *** Giant thicket rat, ''Grammomys gigas'' *** Ruwenzori thicket rat, ''Grammomys ibeanus'' *** Eastern rainforest grammomys or eastern rainforest thicket rat, ''Grammomys kuru'' *** Macmillan's thicket rat, ''Grammomys macmillani'' ***

Ethiopian thicket rat The Ethiopian thicket rat (''Grammomys minnae'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destructio ...

, ''Grammomys minnae'' *** Shining thicket rat, ''Grammomys poensis'' ** Genus '' Lamottemys'' *** Mount Oku rat, ''Lamottemys okuensis'' ** Genus ''

'' - rufous-nosed rats ***

Common rufous-nosed rat The common rufous-nosed rat (''Oenomys hypoxanthus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea ...

, ''Oenomys hypoxanthus'' ***

Ghana rufous-nosed rat The Ghana rufous-nosed rat (''Oenomys ornatus''), also known as the West African Oenomys, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitats are subtropical ...

, ''Oenomys ornatus'' ** Genus ''

Thallomys ''Thallomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains four species: * Loring's rat (''Thallomys loringi'') * Black-tailed tree rat (''Thallomys nigricauda'') *Acacia rat The acacia rat (''Thallomys paedulcu ...

'' - acacia rats *** Loring's rat, ''Thallomys loringi'' ***

Black-tailed tree rat The black-tailed tree rat, also called black-tailed acacia rat or black-tailed thallomys, (''Thallomys nigricauda''), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, where its natural hab ...

, ''Thallomys nigricauda'' ***

Acacia rat The acacia rat (''Thallomys paedulcus''), or black-tailed tree rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is a small arboreal rodent that is extensively dependent on Acacia trees. It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Co ...

, ''Thallomys paedulcus'' ***

Shortridge's rat Shortridge's rat (''Thallomys shortridgei'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in South Africa. Its natural habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors ...

, ''Thallomys shortridgei'' ** Genus ''

Thamnomys ''Thamnomys'' is a genus of Old World rats from East Central Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) ...

'' - thicket rats ***

Kemp's thicket rat Kemp's thicket rat (''Thamnomys kempi'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by ...

, ''Thamnomys kempi'' ***

Hatt's thicket rat Hatt's thicket rat (''Thamnomys major''), is a species of thicket rat indigenous to the northern slopes of Mount Karisimbi, an inactive volcano in North Kivu (Nord-Kivu) province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since the species i ...

, ''Thamnomys major'' ***

Charming thicket rat The charming thicket rat (''Thamnomys venustus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is described as data deficient as ''Thamnomys schoutedeni''. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Its natural ha ...

, ''Thamnomys venustus''

Fossil genera

* ''

'' division ** Genus †''

'' - Canary Islands giant rats (Pleistocene to Holocene of the Canary Islands) *** †

Tenerife giant rat The Tenerife giant rat (''Canariomys bravoi'') is an extinct species of rodent endemic to the island of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, Spain. Many remains have been found during archeological digs. Most remains are from the Pleistoc ...

, ''Canariomys bravoi'' *** † Gran Canaria giant rat, ''Canariomys tamarani'' ** * †'' Parapelomys'' (Pliocene of India, Pakistan, Arabia, and Ethiopia) ** †'' Parapelomys robertsi'' * †'' Saharamys'' (Late Miocene of Egypt) ** †'' Saharamys misrensis'' * †'' Saidomys'' (Pliocene of Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and possibly Afghanistan) ** †'' Saidomys afarensis'' ** †?'' Saidomys afghanensis'' (alternately placed in '' Karnimata'') ** †'' Saidomys natrunensis'' ** †'' Saidomys parvus''

References

{{Taxonbar, from= Q47000891 Old World rats and mice Mammal tribes