The Nesomyidae are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

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 Mandible, lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal specie ...

s in the large and complex superfamily

Muroidea The Muroidea are a large Taxonomic rank, superfamily of rodents, including mice, rats, voles, hamsters, lemmings, Gerbillinae, gerbils, and many other relatives. Although the Muroidea originated in Eurasia, they occupy a vast variety of habitat ...

. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. 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 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'' (bandicoo ...

. Physically, they may resemble

mice A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

, rats,

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, or

hamster Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera. They have become established as popular small pets. The best-known species of hamster is the golden or Syrian ...

s, depending on the species and subfamily. Their diets vary from fairly strict

herbivory A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat n ...

to nearly pure

insectivory A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant which eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores wer ...

. 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 Gestation is the period of development during the carrying of an embryo, and later fetus, inside viviparous animals (the embryo develops within the parent). It is typical for mammals, but also occurs for some non-mammals. Mammals during pregn ...

period around six weeks.

Classification

Many of these animals were once thought to be related to other groups of

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 ...

rodents, but this African-based

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

has been proposed and confirmed on the basis of genetic studies. Such alternate arrangement include the pouched rats in the family

Muridae The Muridae, or murids, are either the largest or second-largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 870 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. ...

, and the white-tailed rat in the family

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 over 870 species, it is either the largest or second-largest family ...

. 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 Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

, and 68

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

. FAMILY NESOMYIDAE *Subfamily Cricetomyinae - pouched rats **Genus ''

Beamys ''Beamys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It contains the following species: * Lesser hamster-rat The lesser hamster-rat or long-tailed pouched rat (''Beamys hindei'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is fou ...

'' ***

Lesser hamster-rat The lesser hamster-rat or long-tailed pouched rat (''Beamys hindei'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland coastal forests. It is threaten ...

, ''Beamys hindei'' *** Greater hamster-rat, ''Beamys major'' **Genus '' Cricetomys'' - giant pouched rats *** Southern giant pouched rat, ''Cricetomys ansorgei'' ***

Gambian pouched rat The Gambian pouched rat (''Cricetomys gambianus''), also Common name, commonly known as the African giant pouched rat, is a species of nocturnal pouched rat of the giant pouched rat genus ''Cricetomys'', in the Family (biology), family Nesomyidae ...

, ''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 or Delany's swamp mouse (''Delanymys brooksi'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Delanymys'' and the only extant member of subfamily Delanymyinae, which also contains the fos ...

'' *** Delany's mouse, ''Delanymys brooksi'' *Subfamily

Dendromurinae Dendromurinae is a subfamily of rodents in the family Nesomyidae and superfamily Muroidea. The dendromurines are currently restricted to Africa, as is the case for all extant members of the family Nesomyidae. The authorship of the subfamily has ...

**Genus ''

Dendromus Mice in the genus ''Dendromus'' are commonly referred to as African climbing mice or tree mice, although these terms are often used to describe all members of the subfamily Dendromurinae. The genus is currently restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, ...

'' - climbing mice *** Remarkable climbing mouse, ''Dendromus insignis'' ***

Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse The Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse (''Dendromus kahuziensis'') is a rodent found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, ...

, ''Dendromus kahuziensis'' *** Monard's African climbing mouse, ''Dendromus leucostomus'' *** Lovat's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus lovati'' *** Gray climbing mouse, ''Dendromus melanotis'' ***

Brants's climbing mouse Brants's climbing mouse (''Dendromus mesomelas'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its natural habi ...

, ''Dendromus mesomelas'' *** Banana climbing mouse, ''Dendromus messorius'' ***

Chestnut climbing mouse The chestnut climbing mouse (''Dendromus mystacalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzan ...

, ''Dendromus mystacalis'' *** Kivu climbing mouse, ''Dendromus nyasae (kivu)'' *** Nyika climbing mouse, ''Dendromus nyikae'' *** Cameroon climbing mouse, ''Dendromus oreas'' ***''

Dendromus ruppi The Rupp's African climbing mouse (''Dendromus ruppi'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found in South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is borde ...

'' *** Vernay's climbing mouse, ''Dendromus vernayi'' **Genus '' Megadendromus'' ***

Nikolaus's mouse Nikolaus's mouse (''Megadendromus nikolausi'') is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Megadendromus''. It is found only in Ethiopia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude sh ...

, ''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 The white-tailed rat (''Mystromys albicaudatus'') also known as the white-tailed mouse, is the only member of the subfamily Mystromyinae in the family Nesomyidae. This species is sometimes placed in the subfamily Cricetinae due to similarities ...

**Genus '' Mystromys'' *** White-tailed rat, ''Mystromys albicaudatus'' *Subfamily

Nesomyinae The Malagasy rodents are the sole members of the subfamily Nesomyinae. These animals are the only native rodents of Madagascar, come in many shapes and sizes, and occupy a wide variety of ecological niches. There are nesomyines that resemble ge ...

- 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 ''Nesomys'', also called red forest rats, is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only on Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and num ...

'' *** 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 ''Petromyscus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is so distinct from other rodents that it is placed as the only genus in subfamily Petromyscinae. In previous classifications, ''Delanymys brooksi'' has also been placed in the s ...

- African rock mice **Genus ''

Petromyscus ''Petromyscus'' is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is so distinct from other rodents that it is placed as the only genus in subfamily Petromyscinae. In previous classifications, '' Delanymys brooksi'' has also been placed in the ...

'' *** Barbour's rock mouse, ''Petromyscus barbouri'' *** Pygmy rock mouse, ''Petromyscus collinus'' *** Brukkaros pygmy rock mouse, ''Petromyscus monticularis'' *** Shortridge's rock mouse, ''Petromyscus shortridgei''

References

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q133021 Rodent families Extant Miocene first appearances Taxa named by Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major