Dipodoidea is a
superfamily of
rodents, also known as dipodoids, found across the
Northern Hemisphere. This superfamily includes over 50 species among the 16 genera in 3 families.
They include the
jerboas (family
Dipodidae
Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on b ...
),
jumping mice (family
Zapodidae
Zapodidae, the jumping mice, is a family of mouse-like rodents in North America and China.
Although mouse-like in general appearance, these rodents are distinguished by their elongated hind limbs, and, typically, by the presence of four pairs o ...
), and
birch mice (family
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, ...
).
Different species are found in
grassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...
,
deserts
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 ...
, and
forests
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
. They are all capable of saltation (jumping while in a bipedal stance), a feature that is most highly evolved in the desert-dwelling jerboas.
Taxonomy
Formerly, Dipodoidea contained only a single large family,
Dipodidae
Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on b ...
, which contained
jerboas,
jumping mice, and
birch mice as subfamilies. However, phylogenetic evidence found all three to be distinct families from one another, and thus they were split into three different families within Dipodoidea.
Characteristics
Dipodoids are small to medium-sized rodents, ranging from in body length, excluding the
tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammal ...
. They are all adapted for jumping, although to varying degrees. The jerboas have very long hind legs which, in most species, include
cannon bones. They move either by jumping, or by walking on their hind legs. The jumping mice have long feet, but lack the extreme adaptations of the jerboas, so that they move by crawling or making short hops, rather than long leaps. Both jerboas and jumping mice have long tails to aid their balance. Birch mice have shorter tails and feet, but they, too, move by jumping.
Most dipodoids are
omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...
, with a diet consisting of
seeds and
insects
Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of j ...
. Some species of jerboa, however, such as ''
Allactaga sibirica
The Mongolian five-toed jerboa or Siberian jerboa (''Allactaga sibirica'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae.
It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркме ...
'', are almost entirely
insectivorous. Like other rodents, they have gnawing
incisors
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, wher ...
separated from the grinding cheek teeth by a gap, or
diastema
A diastema (plural diastemata, from Greek διάστημα, space) is a space or gap between two teeth. Many species of mammals have diastemata as a normal feature, most commonly between the incisors and molars. More colloquially, the condition ...
. The
dental formula
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiolog ...
for dipodids is:
Jerboas and birch mice make their nests in burrows, which, in the case of jerboas, may be complex, with side-chambers for storage of food. In contrast, while jumping mice sometimes co-opt the burrows of other species, they do not dig their own, and generally nest in thick vegetation. Most species
hibernate for at least half the year, surviving on fat that they build up in the weeks prior to going to sleep.
Dipodoids give birth to litters of between two and seven young after a
gestation period of between 17 and 42 days. They breed once or twice a year, depending on the species.
Classification
Extant species
Superfamily Dipodoidea
* Family
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, ...
** Genus ''
Sicista'', birch mice
***
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 birch mouse, ''Sicista concolor''
***
Kazbeg birch mouse
The Kazbeg birch mouse (''Sicista kazbegica'') is a species of rodent in the family Sminthidae. It is found in Georgia and Russia and has a natural habitat of temperate forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of d ...
, ''Sicista kazbegica''
***
Kluchor birch mouse, ''Sicista kluchorica''
***
Nordmann's birch mouse, ''Sicistica loriger''
***
Altai birch mouse, ''Sicista napaea''
***
Gray birch mouse, ''Sicista pseudonapaea''
***
Severtzov's birch mouse, ''Sicista severtzovi''
***
Strand's birch mouse, ''Sicista strandi''
***
Southern birch mouse, ''Sicista subtilis''
***
Talgar birch mouse, ''Sicista talgarica''
***
Terskey birch mouse, ''Sicista terskeica''
***
Tien Shan birch mouse, ''Sicista tianshanica''
***
Hungarian birch mouse, ''Sicista trizona''
***
Zhetysu birch mouse, ''Sicista zhetysuica''
* Family
Zapodidae
Zapodidae, the jumping mice, is a family of mouse-like rodents in North America and China.
Although mouse-like in general appearance, these rodents are distinguished by their elongated hind limbs, and, typically, by the presence of four pairs o ...
, jumping mice
** Genus ''
Eozapus''
***
Chinese jumping mouse, ''Eozapus setchuanus''
** Genus ''
Napaeozapus''
***
Western woodland jumping mouse, ''Napaeozapus abietorum''
***
Eastern woodland jumping mouse, ''Napaeozapus insignis''
** Genus ''
Zapus''
***
Northern meadow jumping mouse, ''Zapus hudsonius''
***
Southern meadow jumping mouse, ''Zapus luteus''
***
Central Pacific jumping mouse, ''Zapus montanus''
***
Oregon jumping mouse, ''Zapus oregonus''
***
South Pacific jumping mouse, ''Zapus pacificus''
***
Southwestern jumping mouse, ''Zapus princeps''
***
Northwestern jumping mouse, ''Zapus saltator''
***
North Pacific jumping mouse, ''Zapus trinotatus''
* Family
Dipodidae
Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on b ...
, jerboas
** Subfamily
Allactaginae
Allactaginae is a subfamily of rodents.
Classification
Subfamily Allactaginae
*Genus ''Allactaga''
**''incertae sedis''
***''Allactaga toussi''
**Subgenus ''Allactaga''
***Small five-toed jerboa, ''Allactaga elater''
*** Iranian jerboa, ''Alla ...
*** Genus ''
Allactaga''
**** Subgenus ''
Allactaga''
*****
Small five-toed jerboa, ''Allactaga elater''
*****
Iranian jerboa, ''Allactaga firouzi''
*****
Hotson's jerboa, ''Allactaga hotsoni''
*****
Great jerboa
The great jerboa (''Allactaga major'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae
Jerboas (from ar, جربوع ') are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to li ...
, ''Allactaga major''
*****
Severtzov's jerboa
Severtzov's jerboa (''Allactaga severtzovi'') is an herbivorous species of rodent in the family Dipodidae.
It is found in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбе ...
, ''Allactaga severtzovi''
*****
Vinogradov's jerboa
Vinogradov's jerboa (''Allactaga vinogradovi'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae.
It is found in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан) ...
, ''Allactaga vinogradovi''
**** Subgenus ''
Orientallactaga''
*****
Balikun jerboa, ''Allactaga balikunica''
*****
Gobi jerboa, ''Allactaga bullata''
*****
Mongolian five-toed jerboa
The Mongolian five-toed jerboa or Siberian jerboa (''Allactaga sibirica'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae.
It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркме ...
, ''Allactaga sibirica''
**** Subgenus ''
Paralactaga''
*****
Euphrates jerboa, ''Allactaga euphratica''
*****
Williams' jerboa, ''Allactaga williamsi''
**** Subgenus ''
Scarturus''
*****
Four-toed jerboa
The four-toed jerboa (''Allactaga tetradactyla'') is a rodent of the family Dipodidae and genus '' Allactaga'' that has four digits. It is the sole species in the subgenus ''Scarturus''. Four-toed jerboas are native to Egypt and Libya. They liv ...
, ''Allactaga tetradactyla''
**** ''
incertae sedis
' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...
''
***** ''
Allactaga toussi
The genus ''Allactaga'' contains the four and five-toed jerboas of Asia. They are small mammals belonging to the order of rodents. They are characteristically known as the hopping rodents of the desert and semi-arid regions. They have long hind ...
''
*** Genus ''
Allactodipus''
****
Bobrinski's jerboa, ''Allactodipus bobrinskii''
*** Genus ''
Pygeretmus'', fat-tailed jerboas
****
Lesser fat-tailed jerboa, ''Pygeretmus platyurus''
****
Dwarf fat-tailed jerboa, ''Pygeretmus pumilio''
****
Greater fat-tailed jerboa, ''Pygeretmus shitkovi''
** Subfamily
Cardiocraniinae
Cardiocraniinae is a subfamily of rodents in the family Dipodidae, named by the Russian zoologist Boris Stepanovich Vinogradov (1891–1958) in 1925. These jumping rodents are small mammals, less than 20 cm long.
Taxonomy
*Genus '' Cardi ...
*** Genus ''
Cardiocranius
The five-toed pygmy jerboa (''Cardiocranius paradoxus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Cardiocranius''.
It is found in China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia.
Its natural habitat is temperate desert ...
''
****
Five-toed pygmy jerboa
The five-toed pygmy jerboa (''Cardiocranius paradoxus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Cardiocranius''.
It is found in China, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia.
Its natural habitat is temperate desert ...
, ''Cardiocranius paradoxus''
*** Genus ''
Salpingotulus''
****
Baluchistan pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotulus michaelis''
*** Genus ''
Salpingotus
''Salpingotus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It contains the following species:
* Genus ''Salpingotus''
**Subgenus ''Anguistodontus''
*** Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa (''Salpingotus crassicauda'')
**Subgenus '' Prosalpingotus''
*** ...
'', pygmy jerboas
**** Subgenus ''
Anguistodontus''
*****
Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotus crassicauda''
**** Subgenus ''
Prosalpingotus''
*****
Heptner's pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotus heptneri''
*****
Pale pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotus pallidus''
*****
Thomas's pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotus thomasi''
**** Subgenus ''
Salpingotus
''Salpingotus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It contains the following species:
* Genus ''Salpingotus''
**Subgenus ''Anguistodontus''
*** Thick-tailed pygmy jerboa (''Salpingotus crassicauda'')
**Subgenus '' Prosalpingotus''
*** ...
''
*****
Kozlov's pygmy jerboa, ''Salpingotus kozlovi''
** Subfamily
Dipodinae
Dipodinae is a subfamily of Dipodidae.
Classification
Subfamily Dipodinae
*Tribe Dipodini
**Genus '' Dipus''
*** Northern three-toed jerboa, ''Dipus sagitta''
**Genus '' Eremodipus''
*** Lichtenstein's jerboa, ''Eremodipus lichtensteini''
**Gen ...
*** Tribe
Dipodini
**** Genus ''
Dipus
''Dipus'' is a genus of jerboa. Today only a single species is extant, the northern three-toed jerboa ''(Dipus sagitta)'', widespread throughout Central Asia. The genus has a fossil record that dates back to the Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the ...
''
*****
Northern three-toed jerboa, ''Dipus sagitta''
**** Genus ''
Eremodipus''
*****
Lichtenstein's jerboa, ''Eremodipus lichtensteini''
**** Genus ''
Jaculus''
*****
Blanford's jerboa, ''Jaculus blanfordi''
*****
Lesser Egyptian jerboa
The lesser jerboa (''Jaculus jaculus'') is a small rodent of Africa and the Middle East. Its diet consists mainly of seeds and grasses. Description
A small rodent, it is sometimes likened to a tiny kangaroo due to its incredibly large hind legs ...
, ''Jaculus jaculus''
*****
Greater Egyptian jerboa
The greater Egyptian jerboa (''Jaculus orientalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and is possibly extinct in the Negev Desert of Israel. Its natural habitat ...
, ''Jaculus orientalis''
*****
Thaler's jerboa, ''Jaculus thaleri''
**** Genus ''
Stylodipus'', three-toed jerboas
*****
Andrews's three-toed jerboa
Andrews's three-toed jerboa, or the Mongolian jerboa, (''Stylodipus andrewsi'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in China (Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Ningxia provinces) and Mongolia.
Description
Andrews's three-toed j ...
, ''Stylodipus andrewsi''
*****
Mongolian three-toed jerboa
The Mongolian three-toed jerboa (''Stylodipus sungorus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country i ...
, ''Stylodipus sungorus''
*****
Thick-tailed three-toed jerboa
The thick-tailed three-toed jerboa (''Stylodipus telum'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Its typical habitat is steppe, desert and mountain grassla ...
, ''Stylodipus telum''
*** Tribe
Paradipodini
The comb-toed jerboa (''Paradipus ctenodactylus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Paradipus''. It is found in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic ...
**** Genus ''
Paradipus''
*****
Comb-toed jerboa
The comb-toed jerboa (''Paradipus ctenodactylus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Paradipus''. It is found in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic ...
, ''Paradipus ctenodactylus''
** Subfamily
Euchoreutinae
The long-eared jerboa (''Euchoreutes naso'') is a nocturnal mouse-like rodent with a long tail, long hind legs for jumping, and exceptionally large ears. It is distinct enough that authorities consider it to be the only member of both its genus ...
*** Genus ''
Euchoreutes'', long-eared ''jerboa''
****
Long-eared jerboa
The long-eared jerboa (''Euchoreutes naso'') is a nocturnal mouse-like rodent with a long tail, long hind legs for jumping, and exceptionally large ears. It is distinct enough that authorities consider it to be the only member of both its genu ...
'', Euchoreutes naso''
Fossil genera
Dipodoidea has a well-documented fossil record dating back to the
Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
. These fossil species are definitively known:
* Genus †''
Aksyiromys''
* Genus †''
Elymys''
* Genus †''
Primisminthus''
* Family †
Simimyidae
** Genus †''
Simimys''
* Genus †''
Simiacritomys''
''
Primisminthus'' from the middle Eocene of China could be the oldest member of the group, while ''
Banyuesminthus'', also from the middle Eocene of China, could represent a
sister group to the rest of the Dipodoidea.
References
*
{{Authority control
Dipodoid rodents
Rodent taxonomy
Mammal superfamilies
Extant Eocene first appearances
Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim