Nesomyidae

The Nesomyidae are a family of African rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to Madagascar. Included in this family are Malagasy rodents, climbing mice, African rock mice, swamp mice, pouched rats, and the white-tailed rat.

Characteristics

Nesomyids are small- to medium-sized rodents, with the largest being the size of a rat. Physically, they may resemble mice, rats, voles, or hamsters, depending on the species and subfamily. Their diets vary from fairly strict herbivory to nearly pure insectivory. Their habits are similarly variable, with some species climbing trees, and others burrowing in the ground. They give birth to up to four young after a gestation period around six weeks.

Classification

Many of these animals were once thought to be related to other groups of muroid rodents, but this African-based clade has been proposed and confirmed on the basis of genetic studies. Such alternate arrangement include the pouched rats in the family Muridae, and the white-tailed rat in the family Cricetidae. Likewise, all members of the Nesomyidae are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other members of the Muroidea.

Nesomyids are classified in six subfamilies, 21 genera, and 68 species.

FAMILY NESOMYIDAE
*Subfamily Cricetomyinae - pouched rats
**Genus ''Beamys''
***Lesser hamster-rat, ''Beamys hindei''
***Greater hamster-rat, ''Beamys major''
**Genus '' Cricetomys'' - giant pouched rats
***Southern giant pouched rat, ''Cricetomys ansorgei''
***Gambian pouched rat, ''Cricetomys gambianus''
***Emin's pouched rat, ''Cricetomys emini''
***Kivu giant pouched rat, ''Cricetomys kivuensis''
**Genus ''Saccostomus'' - pouched mice
*** South African pouched mouse, ''Saccostomus campestris''
*** Mearns's pouched mouse, ''Saccostomus mearnsi''
*Subfamily Delanymyinae
**Genus ''Delanymys''
*** Delany's mouse, ''Delanymys brooksi''
*Subfamily Dendromurinae
**Genus ''Dendromus'' - climbing mice
*** Remarkable climbing mouse, ''Dendromus insignis''
*** Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse, ''Dendromus kahuziensis''
*** Monard's African climbing mouse, ''Dendromus leucostomus''
*** Lovat's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus lovati''
*** Gray climbing mouse, ''Dendromus melanotis''
*** Brants's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus mesomelas''
*** Banana climbing mouse, ''Dendromus messorius''
*** Chestnut climbing mouse, ''Dendromus mystacalis''
*** Kivu climbing mouse, ''Dendromus nyasae (kivu)''
*** Nyika climbing mouse, ''Dendromus nyikae''
*** Cameroon climbing mouse, ''Dendromus oreas''
***'' Dendromus ruppi''
*** Vernay's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus vernayi''
**Genus '' Megadendromus''
***Nikolaus's mouse, ''Megadendromus nikolausi''
**Genus ''Dendroprionomys''
*** Velvet climbing mouse, ''Dendroprionomys rousseloti''
**Genus ''Prionomys''
*** Dollman's climbing mouse, ''Prionomys batesi''
**Genus '' Malacothrix''
***Gerbil mouse, ''Malacothrix typica''
**Genus ''Steatomys'' - fat mice
*** Bocage's African fat mouse, ''Steatomys bocagei''
*** Northwestern fat mouse, ''Steatomys caurinus''
*** Dainty fat mouse, ''Steatomys cuppedius''
***Jackson's fat mouse, ''Steatomys jacksoni''
*** Kreb's fat mouse, ''Steatomys krebsii''
*** Pousargues's African fat mouse, ''Steatomys opimus''
***Tiny fat mouse, ''Steatomys parvus''
***Fat mouse, ''Steatomys pratensis''
*Subfamily Mystromyinae
**Genus ''Mystromys''
***White-tailed rat, ''Mystromys albicaudatus''
*Subfamily Nesomyinae - Malagasy rodents
**Genus ''Brachytarsomys'' - Malagasy white-tailed rats
*** White-tailed antsangy, ''Brachytarsomys albicauda''
***Hairy-tailed antsangy, ''Brachytarsomys villosa''
**Genus ''Brachyuromys'' - Malagasy short-tailed rats
*** Betsileo short-tailed rat, ''Brachyuromys betsileoensis''
***Gregarious short-tailed rat, ''Brachyuromys ramirohitra''
**Genus ''Eliurus'' - tufted-tailed rats
*** Tsingy tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus antsingy''
*** Ankarana Special Reserve tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus carletoni''
*** Ellerman's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus ellermani''
*** Daniel's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus danieli''
*** Grandidier's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus grandidieri''
*** Major's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus majori''
*** Lesser tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus minor''
*** Dormouse tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus myoxinus''
*** White-tipped tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus penicillatus''
***Petter's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus petteri''
*** Tanala tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus tanala''
***Webb's tufted-tailed rat, ''Eliurus webbi''
**Genus ''Gymnuromys''
*** Voalavoanala, ''Gymnuromys roberti''
**Genus ''Hypogeomys''
*** Votsovotsa (Malagasy giant rat), ''Hypogeomys antimena''
**Genus '' Macrotarsomys'' - big-footed mice
***Bastard big-footed mouse, ''Macrotarsomys bastardi''
*** Greater big-footed mouse, ''Macrotarsomys ingens''
*** Petter's big-footed mouse, ''Macrotarsomys petteri''
**Genus '' Monticolomys''
***Malagasy mountain mouse, ''Monticolomys koopmani''
**Genus ''Nesomys''
***White-bellied nesomys, ''Nesomys audeberti''
***Western nesomys, ''Nesomys lambertoni''
***Island mouse, ''Nesomys rufus''
**Genus ''Voalavo''
***Eastern voalavo, ''Voalavo antsahabensis''
***Northern voalavo, ''Voalavo gymnocaudus''
*Subfamily Petromyscinae - African rock mice
**Genus ''Petromyscus''
*** Barbour's rock mouse, ''Petromyscus barbouri''
*** Pygmy rock mouse, ''Petromyscus collinus''
*** Brukkaros pygmy rock mouse, ''Petromyscus monticularis''
*** Shortridge's rock mouse, ''Petromyscus shortridgei''

References

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q133021

Rodent families
 
Extant Miocene first appearances
Taxa named by Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major