genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of rodent that contains two extant species, both known as edible dormice or fat dormice: the
European edible dormouse
The European edible dormouse also known as the European dormouse or European fat dormouse (''Glis glis'') is a large dormouse and one of only two living species in the genus ''Glis (genus), Glis'', found in most of Europe and parts of western Asi ...
''(Glis glis'') and the Iranian edible dormouse (''Glis persicus''). It also contains a number of fossil species.
Evolution
The genus ''Glis'' originated in the mid-
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...
. It did not become common until the
Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58Glis sackdillingensis'' is known to have survived into the
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the ''ice age, Ice Age'') is the geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fin ...
. This is probably likely the ancestor of the modern species, which appeared in the early to mid-Pleistocene.
One former species, ''Glis truyolsi'', has been placed in the genus '' Myoglis'' and it has been suggested that ''G. apertus'', ''G. galitopouli'', ''G. guerbuezi'', ''G. major'' and ''G. transversus'' be moved there as well.
Etymology
The first mention of the word dormouse was in the early 15th century, possibly coming from Anglo-French *dormouse "tending to be dormant" (from stem of dormir "to sleep," see dormant), with the second element mistaken for mouse; or perhaps it is from a Middle English dialectal compound of mouse (n.) and French dormir. French dormeuse, fem. of dormeur "sleeper" is attested only from 17c.