Zapodidae, the jumping mice, is 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 ...
of mouse-like
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
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
.
Although
mouse-like in general appearance, these rodents are distinguished by their elongated hind limbs, and, typically, by the presence of four pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw. There are five toes to all the feet, but the first in the fore-feet is rudimentary, and furnished with a flat nail. The tail makes up about 60% of its body length and is used to gain balance while jumping. The cheeks have pouches. The
Sichuan
Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capital city is Cheng ...
jumping "yeti" mouse (''
Eozapus setchuanus
The Chinese jumping mouse (''Eozapus setchuanus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Eozapus''. It is endemic to China where its natural habitat is temperate forests, steppes and meadows in mountai ...
'') from China can be identified by the ‘Y’ marking on its belly.
Jumping mice live in wooded areas, grassy fields and alpine meadows. When disturbed, they can leap eight to ten feet at a time, diminishing to three to four as they widen the gap between them and any pursuer. They are nocturnal and generally live alone. Nests are often found in clefts of rocks, among timber, or in hollow trees. Typically, they will have two to three litters per year.
Taxonomy
Formerly classified in the subfamily Zapodinae alongside the
birch mice and
jerboa
Jerboas () are the members of the family Dipodidae. They are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on by little owls (''A ...
s within the greater family
Dipodidae
Jerboas () are the members of the family Dipodidae. They are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on by little owls ('' ...
, phylogenetic analysis has found the jumping mice, birch mice, and jerboas to each form their own family, with Dipodidae being restricted to the jerboas. All three families are thought to belong to the greater superfamily
Dipodoidea
Dipodoidea is a Superfamily (biology), superfamily of Rodent, 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 Jerboa, jerboas (f ...
.
Classification
There are 11 recent species listed by the
American Society of Mammalogists The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was founded in 1919. Its primary purpose is to encourage the study of mammal
A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence ...
as of 2021.
Family Zapodidae, jumping mice
*Genus ''
Eozapus
The Chinese jumping mouse (''Eozapus setchuanus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Eozapus''. It is endemic to China where its natural habitat is temperate forests, steppes and meadows in mountai ...
''
**
Chinese jumping mouse
The Chinese jumping mouse (''Eozapus setchuanus'') is a species of rodent in the family Dipodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Eozapus''. It is endemic to China where its natural habitat is temperate forests, steppes and meadows in mountai ...
, ''Eozapus setchuanus''
*Genus ''
Napaeozapus
The woodland jumping mouse (''Napaeozapus insignis'') is a species of jumping mouse found in North America. It can jump up to using its extremely strong feet and long tail.
Taxonomy
Representatives of the family Dipodidae are found in the nort ...
''
**
Western woodland jumping mouse, ''Napaeozapus abietorum''
**
Eastern woodland jumping mouse, ''Napaeozapus insignis''
*Genus ''
Zapus
''Zapus'' is a genus of North American jumping mice, jumping mouse. It is the only genus whose members have the dental formula . ''Zapus'' are the only extant mammals aside from the Aye-aye with a total of 18 teeth.
This genus was first separate ...
''
**
Northern meadow jumping mouse, ''Zapus hudsonius''
**
Southern meadow jumping mouse
Southern may refer to:
Businesses
* China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China
* Southern Airways, defunct US airline
* Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US
* Southern Airways Express ...
, ''Zapus luteus''
**
Central Pacific jumping mouse
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
, ''Zapus montanus''
**
Oregon jumping mouse
Oregon ( , ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much ...
, ''Zapus oregonus''
**
South Pacific jumping mouse
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
, ''Zapus pacificus''
**
Southwestern jumping mouse, ''Zapus princeps''
**
Northwestern jumping mouse, ''Zapus saltator''
**
North Pacific jumping mouse, ''Zapus trinotatus''
Fossil genera
In addition, four fossil genera are also definitively known:
* Genus †''
Javazapus''
* Genus †''
Pliozapus''
* Genus †''
Sinozapus''
*Genus †''
Sminthozapus''
See also
*
Hopping mouse
A hopping mouse is any of about ten different Australian native mice in the genus ''Notomys''. They are rodents, not marsupials, and their ancestors are thought to have arrived from Asia about 5 million years ago.
All are brown or fawn, fading t ...
: a
murid
In Sufism, a (Arabic ) is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title , or . A or Sufi follower only becomes a when he makes a pledge () to a . The equivalent Pers ...
rodent native to Australia
*
Jerboa
Jerboas () are the members of the family Dipodidae. They are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia. They tend to live in hot deserts.
When chased, jerboas can run at up to . Some species are preyed on by little owls (''A ...
: a related desert-dwelling
dipodid rodent native to northern Africa and Asia
*
Kangaroo mouse
A kangaroo mouse is either one of the two species of jumping mouse (genus ''Microdipodops'') native to the deserts of the southwestern United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. The name "kangaroo mouse" refers to the species' ext ...
and
kangaroo rat
Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus ''Dipodomys'', are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed thi ...
:
heteromyid rodents of North America
*
Kultarr: an unrelated
marsupial
Marsupials are a diverse group of mammals belonging to the infraclass Marsupialia. They are natively found in Australasia, Wallacea, and the Americas. One of marsupials' unique features is their reproductive strategy: the young are born in a r ...
with a similar body plan and coloration; an example of
convergence
Convergence may refer to:
Arts and media Literature
*''Convergence'' (book series), edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen
*Convergence (comics), "Convergence" (comics), two separate story lines published by DC Comics:
**A four-part crossover storyline that ...
*
Springhare: a
pedetid rodent native to southern and eastern Africa
References
Zapodidae
Rodent families
Dipodoid rodents
Taxa named by Elliott Coues
Extant Miocene first appearances
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