''Cricetulus'' is a genus of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), 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 roden ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Cricetidae The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At almost 608 species, it is the second-largest family of mammals, a ...

(

vole Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently formed molars (high-crowned with angular cusps instead of lo ...

s and hamsters); it has seven member species that inhabit arid or semi-arid regions in Eurasia. They tend to be more

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' ( pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...

like in appearance than typical hamsters, hence the common name ''ratlike hamster''. Many of the species are considered dwarf hamsters. However, members of the genera ''

Allocricetulus ''Allocricetulus'' is a genus of hamsters in the family Cricetidae, which are found in Asia. It contains the following species: * Mongolian hamster (''Allocricetulus curtatus'') * Eversmann's hamster Eversmann's hamster (''Allocricetulus e ...

'', ''

Tscherskia The greater long-tailed hamster (''Tscherskia triton'') is a rodent native to Siberia, the Korean Peninsula, and China. It is the only member of the genus ''Tscherskia''. Taxonomy The genetic diversity of ''Tscherskia triton'' has a positive ...

'', and ''

Cansumys The Gansu hamster (''Cansumys canus'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, endemic to China. It is the only species in the genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, ...

'' are often called ''ratlike hamsters'', and so are considered to be members of the genus ''Cricetulus'' by many authorities.

Species

*''Cricetulus alticola'' — Tibetan dwarf hamster *''Cricetulus barabensis'' — Chinese striped hamster *''Cricetulus griseus'' —

Chinese hamster The Chinese hamster (''Cricetulus griseus'' or ''Cricetulus barabensis griseus'') is a rodent in the genus '' Cricetulus'' of the subfamily Cricetidae that originated in the deserts of northern China and Mongolia. They are distinguished by an unco ...

*''Cricetulus kamensis'' — Kam dwarf hamster *''Cricetulus lama'' — Lama dwarf hamster *''Cricetulus longicaudatus'' — long-tailed dwarf hamster *''Cricetulus migratorius'' — grey dwarf hamster *''Cricetulus sokolovi'' — Sokolov's dwarf hamster

References

*Duff, A. and A. Lawson. 2004. Mammals of the World A Checklist. New Haven, Yale University Press. *Nowak, Ronald M. 1999. ''Walker's Mammals of the World'', 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1936 pp. {{Taxonbar, from=Q869711 Rodent genera Taxa named by Henri Milne-Edwards

Species

See also

References