Mammalogy exam2-taxa traits

Grandorder Glires

-includes order lagomorpha and order rodentia

-under boreoeutheria + euchontoglires

-large upper and lower incisors

-large diastema

-lack canines

-open rooted and ever-growing incisors (and other teeth)

-many “live fast, die young”

-fossil glires: early ones had already diversified modes of chewing which implies different diets (simplicidentate= single incisor pair, duplicidentate=two incisor pairs)

Order lagomorpha

-(under glires) includes family ochotonidae and family leporidae

-pegteeth (second small pair of incisors immediately behind the first large pair)

-transverse ridges on cheekteeth

-fenestrated rostrum

-enamel around the entire incisor, thicker at front

-large masseter muscles for chewing

Family Ochotonidae

-under glires + lagomorpha

-Pikas, north latitudes & high elevations

-notched incisors

-short rostrum

-large auditory bullae

-small body size

-short rounded external ears (pinnae)

-no visible tail

-male testes lie in front of the penis (similar to marsupials)

Family Leporidae

-under glires + lagomorpha

-rabbits and hares

-small to medium body

-incisors have no notch

-skull highly arched

-fenestrated maxilla and parietal bones

-cursorial/saltatorial adaptations (elongated limbs, restricted movement of ankles and wrists)

-external ears are long and pointed

-herbivorous

-hind gut fermentation (simple stomach, large caecum)

-crepuscular

-rabbits have fur lined nests and young are altricial

-hares use shallow depressions and have precocial young

Order Rodentia

-under boreoeutheria + euchontoglires + glires

-dentition specialized for gnawing (large incisors, enamel on the front and sides which allows them to be self-sharpening)

-dentition associated with diet and ecology (cheek teeth can have complex occlusal surfaces for grinding plant material, angular process plane changes chewing mechanics (gnawing v grinding), infraorbital canal size and shape (part or all of muscle goes through))

suborder hystricomorpha

-under rodentia

-includes infraorder ctenodactylomorphi and infraorder hystricognathi

-hystricomorphous skull, large infraorbital canal allowing medial masseter to pass through (crush hard foods)

-hystricognathous jaw (not exclusive to this suborder but all in this suborder have it)

-medial masseter large and originates on side of rostrum, contraction newar horizontal

infraorder hystricognathi

-under rodentia + hystricomorpha

-includes parvorder phiomorpha (africa) and parvorder caviomorpha (americas)

-range from very small to largest rodent

family caviidae

-under rodentia + hystricomorpha +hystricognathi + (super family cavioidea) + caviomorpha

-capybara, Guinea pig

-south america

-herbivorous (folivores)

-dinurnal mostly

-terrestrial (some use burrows)

-short, heavy bodies, large heads, no visible tail

-1-3 precocious young, sexually mature quickly

-includes largest rodent ever (procumbent molars, reinforced skull, incisor bite force comparable to polar bear, bite force at third molar comparable to crocodiles. bite force likely for eating hard material, predator defense, or burrowing)

-patagonian mara (hare) →more cursorial than other caviids, monogamous + mate for life, form temp creches for young; pairs share den and one watches offspring while other grazes

family erethizontidae

-under rodentia + hystricomorpha +hystricognathi + (superfamily erethizontoidea) + caviomorpha

-new world porcupines

-mostly nocturnal

-herbivorous (variety of foods)

-some arboreal, some terrestrial/burrowing

-mostly solitary or in pairs

-single precocial offspring

-large auditory bullae

-small eyes

-hypsodont cheek teeth (good for fiberous/abrasive foods)

-arboreal species adapted to climbing (broad soles on feet with tubercles to increase traction, some have prehensile tails)

family hystricidae

-under rodentia + hystricomorpha +hystricognathi + phiomorpha

-old world porcupines

-mostly africa, south eurpoe, south asia'

-herbivorous (more restricted, fruits, roots, bulbs)

-terrestrial and burrowing (some species have communal burrows)

-1-2 young born with spines that harden after birth

-long lived

-quills for defense (rattle to warn predators)

family hetercephalidae

-under rodentia + hystricomorpha +hystricognathi + phiomorpha

-naked mole rat

-herbivorous (roots, tubers, bulbs)

-entirely fossorial

-thermoconformers: almost ectothermic

-low metabolic and respiratory rates

-long lifespan, resistant to cancer and oxygen depravation

-brown-pink skin, mostly hairless with vibrassae on face and body (short stiff hairs sensitive to touch)

-prognathous incisors for burrowing

-small eyes

suborder sciuromorpha

-under rodentia

-sciuromorphous skull (characterizes only sciuridae) (aplodontidae are protogomorphous, gliridae are pseudomyomorphous)

-lateral masseter shifted forward and upward because of wide zygomatic plate, contraction shifted vertically

-sciurognathous jaw (common to all)

-widespread globally

-small to medium

family sciuridae

-under rodentia + sciuromorpha

-squirrels

-widespread and many habitats (not australia, madagascar, old world deserts)

-diurnal (except flying squirrels who are nocturnal)

-mostly herbivores (but will eat eggs, small vertebrates, insects)

-varying sociality (some solitary, some large colonies)

-altricial young, number varies

-store food

-many hibernate

-long bushy tails

-zygomatic plate

-rooted cheek teeth with transverse ridges (not ever growing)

-some have small, non opposable thumb

-some arboreal species can turn ankles 180 degrees to climb down trees headfirst

subfamily sciurinae

-under rodentia + sciuromorpha + sciuridae

-tree squirrels and flying squirrels

-sciurini tribe: north american and eurasian tree squirrels= herbivorous

-pteromyini tribe: flying squirrels (north and central america, and asia)= nocturnal, arboreal, omnivorous →patagium for gliding (can control with limbs and tail)

suborder castorimorpha

-under rodentia

-includes superfamily geomyoidea (family geomyidae and family heteromyidae) and family castoridae

superfamily geomyoidea

-under rodentia + castorimorpha

-includes family geomyidae and family heteromyidae

-infraorbital canal faces to the side at the snout (in heteromyidae you can see through snout)

-sciuromorphous skull (masseter doesnt pass through canal because of its position)

-sciurognathous jaw

family geomyidae

-under rodentia + castorimorpha + geomyoidea

-pocket gophers

-north and central america

-herbivorous (roots, shrubs, vegetables)

-large fur lined cheek pouch (extend from side of mouth onto shoulders)

-fossorial (extensive tunnels), short tail used for navigating backwards

-agricultural pests

-can contribute to soil fertilization and ecolgical succession

family heteromyidae

-under rodentia + castorimorpha + geomyoidea

-kangaroo rats and mice, pocket mice

-large heads with compact bodies

-external cheek pouches lined with fur (extend from mouth and to shoulders)

-large auditory bullae

-simple cheek teeth

-thin zygomatic arch

subfamily dipodomyinae

-under rodentia + castorimorpha + geomyoidea + heteromyidae

-adapted to arid conditions

-nocturnal, rest in burrows during the day

-terrestrial and burrowing (complex tunnel system)

-herbivorous (sometimes insects), cheek pouches gather seeds and store them in burrows where they absorb water

-get water from metabolizing food rather than drinking

-viscous, highly concentrated urine

-saltatorial (short forelimbs/large + powerful hind limbs, partially fused neck vertebrae, long/furred tail, bipedal, leap 9 feet(away from snakes))

family castoridae

-under rodentia + castorimorpha + superfamily castoroidea

-sciuromorphous skull

-sciurognathous jaw

-very large skulls and incisors

-broad zygomatic arch

-4 cheekteeth with occlusal pattern

-cloaca

-great water manuveraility (webbed hind feet, flat/scaly tails, stable ankle and knee joints for paddling, dense/waterproof fur, nictitating membrane on eyes, nostrils and ear openings are valvular)

-very good fossil record because they sink to bottom of water bodies which is good conditions

-north american and eurasian beaver (some n. amer beavers introduced to europe when people thought they were the same species)

-fur trade nearly wiped them out

-castoreum= secretion from castor sacs in anus for scent marking (vanilla flavor and floral scent used to make perfumes)

-keystone species=create critical wetland habitat by making dams

suborder anomaluromorpha

-under rodentia

-includes family zenkerellidae(zenkerella), family anomaluridae(scaly tailed flying squirrels), and family pedetidae

-know almost nothing about the first two

family pedetidae

-under rodentia + anomaluromorpha

-springhares

-maybe closer to hystricognatha

-south and central east africa

-semi arid plains regions

-nocturnal

-terrestrial (extensive burrows during the day, dig using front claws)

-herbivorous, sometimes insects

-single offspring (sometimes twins), mother provides extended care

-saltatorial (long tails for balance, well developed hind legs, short front legs)

-glow pink under uv light

suborder myomorpha

-under rodentia

-includes superfamily dipodoidea (family zapodidae) and superfamily muroidea(family nesomyidae, family cricetidae, family muridae) (greater than 1500 species)

-most speciose rodent and mammal clade (> 1,500 species, ¼ of all mammals)

-”mouse-like”

-myomorphous zygomasseteric system (some hystricomorphous)

-sciurognathous mandible

superfamily dipodoidea

-under rodentia + myomorpha

-hystricomorphous skull

-sciurognathous jaw

-medium to large eyes and ears

-saltatorial

omnivorous, seeds and insects

family zapodidae

-under rodentia + myomorpha + dipodoidea

-jumping mice

-mainly in north america

-small mice, long tails (60% of body length)

-saltatorial (large hind feet, can jump 8-10 feet, adaptations not as pronounced as dipodidae (jerobas))

superfamily muroidea

-under rodentia + myomorpha

-includes family nesomyidae, family cricetidae, family muridae

-greatest rodent diversity, ~1500 species

-myomorphous skull

-sciurognathous jaw

-complex occlusal surfaces on molars

-few limb specializations (though one family is fossorial)
-found in almost all habitats

-most live fast,die young and are good colonizers

family nesomyidae

-under rodentia + myomorpha + muroidea

-african mice and rats

-africa and madagascar

-diets vary from herbivory to insectivory

-african pouched rats: largest murine rodents, lives 5-8 years, common as food, can be trained to detect land mines and tuberculosis by scent

family cricetidae

-under rodentia + myomorpha + muroidea

-new world rats and mice (americas, europe, asia)

-over 800 species

-largest or second largest family of mammals

-wide habitat ranges

-arboreal, terrestrial, burrowing, or semi-aquatic

-herbivorous, omnivorous, or insectivorous

-short gestation, large litter size= rapidly expanding populations

family muridae

-under rodentia +myomorpha + muroidea

-includes subfamily murinae

-old world rats and mice

-second largest or largest family of mammals (700 species)

-myomorphous skull

-sciurognathous jaw

-worldwide distribution

-usually naked tail

subfamily murinae

-under rodentia + myomorpha + muroidea + muridae

-old world rats and mice

-africa and asia but spread worldwide

-house mouse (spread worldwide, houses/barns/fields/wooded areas/usually near buildings, omnivorous, breed throughout year (2+ litters w/3-12 offspring each), similar to deer mice)

-norway rat (medium size, terrestrial, make burrows, often near water and good swimmers but live in arid regions, og east asia but brought to europe and america on ships, forests/brushy areas/agricultural fields/sewers/pretty much anywhere, omnivorous, breed up to 7 times a year w 2-14 offspring each)

-black rat (smaller than norway, arboreal, native to asia but introduced to europe on boats, omnivorous, breed year round (5 litters per year w 6-12 offspring each), major crop damage, found mostly near coasts and accross old silk road in asia)

-bramble cay melomys (extinction due to rising oceans, endemic to small island in aus)