Mamm Lab Rodentia Quiz

Aplodontia rufa

Family: Aplodontiidae

Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa); monotypic

Range: Nearctic Zone: Pacific Northwest from British Colombia to N California.

Characteristics:

• Medium sized, short ears, enlarged foreclaws

• Vestigial tail

• Sciurognathous

• Small infraorbital foramen, no zygomatic plate

• Flattened, triangular shaped skull

• Flask-shaped auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.2.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars are "D" shaped with single buccal projection

Sciuridae

Squirrels, Chipmunks, and Marmots; 53, genera, 321 species Range: worldwide except Madagascar, Oriental, and Australian Zones Characteristics:

• Varied body sizes, shapes, and colors

• Sciurognathous

• Sciuromorphous

• Domed cranium
  Postorbital process

ー

Present

• Large zygomatic plate

• Teeth: 1.0.(1-2).3/1.0.1.3

• Variable molar surfaces (flat/simple to complex infoldings)

Gliridae

Dormice: 9 genera, 30 species.

Range: Afrotropical, Saharo Arabian, Palearctic, Sino Japanes Zones, Europe, most of Africa ano

Central Asia

Characteristics:

• Small-to-medium sized squirrel-like body

• Tail long and moderately bushy

• Large eyes and ears

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• No post-orbital process (compared to Sciurids)

• Slightly rounded skull
  Relatively large auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.(0-1).3/1.0.(0-1).3

• Crowns of molars with series of enamel bands (most) or basin shaped with indistinct ridges (Graphiurus), branchyodont

Hystricidae

Old Wold Porcupines; 3 genera, 11 species

Range: Afrotropical, Saharo-Arabian, Palearctic, Oriental, Sino-Japanes Zone. Sub-Saharan Africa, southern Europe, and much of west, central, and Southeast Asia in wide variety of habitats Characteristics:

• Large bodies covered in medium to long quills

• Quills are often black and white

• Skull elongated, rounded, and smooth

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• No ridge on dentary

• Small auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1/3

• Incisors may have faint labial grooves

• Molars flat with enamel fold forming islands of dentin

Heterocephalidae

Naked Mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber); monotypic

Range: Afrotropical Zon: Eastern Africa

Characteristics:

• Small size with pink, wrinkled, nearly hairless skin

• Incisors emerge from outside lips

• Tiny eyes and no ear pinnae

• Robust, slightly curved cranium

• Broad zygomatic arch with narrow rostrum
  Hystricognathous

• Sciuromorphous (appears somewhat myomorphous)

• Large but flat auditory bullae

• No ridge on dentarry

• Teeth: 1.0.0.3/1.0.0.3

• Large procumbent incisors, with no labial grooves

• Molars with a simple ring shape

Bathyergidae

African Mole-rats; 5 genera, 26 speices

Range: Afrotropical Zone, Sub-Saharan Africa, mostly in dry deserts with soft soils Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized, mole-shaped, furred bodies

• Blunt head, incisors emerge from outside lips

• Short tail, legs

• Small eyes, no ear pinnae

• Robust, curved cranium

• Broad zygomatic arch with narrow rostrum

• Hystricognathous

• Sciuromorphous (but appears somewhat myomorphous)

• Large but flat auditory bullae

• No ridge on dentary

• Teeth: 1.0.(2-3).(0-3)/1.0. (2-3). (0-3)

• Large procumbent incisors, may have labial grooves

• Molars are usually a simple ring shape, but some have infoldings forming a figure 8.

Erethizontidae

New World Porcupines: 3 genera, 18 species

Range: Nearctic, Panamanian, Neotropical Zones; Most of North, Central, and South America in a variety of habitats Characteristics:

• Medium to large-sized bodies covered in sharp, barbed quills and sometimes hair

• Short legs, tail variable in length

• Blocky skull, flat or curved in profile

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Short or no paroccipital process

• Enlarged auditory bullae

• No ridge on dentary

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Incisors may have faint labial grooves

• Molars lophodont with narrow or wide infoldings but not forming dentin islands (c.f.,

Cuniculidae

Pacas; 1 genus, 2 species

Range: Panamanian, Neotropical Zones; Central and South America, primarily in tropical forests Characteristics:

• Medium-sized, piglike, 3-4 rows of white spots

• Reduced numbers of digits on all feet

• Short limbs

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Enlarged zygomatic arch with large sinuses

• Hollow chamber inside zygomatic arch

• Rough textured plates over jugals and maxillae

• Rostrum short

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with 1-3 infoldings on each side

Caviidae

Cavies, Maras, and Capybaras; 6 genera, 24 species

Range: Neotropical Zone: South America, barely into Central America, in a wide variety of habitats Characteristics:

• Body Small to large in size with large heads

• Variable body shapes

• No visible tail

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Prominent paroccipial processes

• Prominent lateral groove in dentary

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars hypsodont with deep infoldings

• Upper tooth rows converge anteriorly to form

Dasyproctidae

Agoutis and Acouchis; 2 genera, 15 species

Range: Panamanian, Neotropical Zones: Central and South America, primarily in tropical forests Characteristics:

• Medium-sized, coarse fur

• Long limbs, short tails

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Elongated skull

• Nasals and premaxilla extend beyond incisors

• Lacrimal canal forms complete lateral hole on rostrum

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with lateral infoldings forming islands with age

Chinchillidae

Chinchillas and Viscachas; 3 genera, 7 species (1 extinct)

Range: Neotropical Zone: western and southern South America in dry, rocky habitats Characteristics:

• Medium-sized, with soft and dense fur

• Long bushy tail, large eyes & ears

• Elongated skull

• Broad zygomatic arch

• Auditory bullae huge in chinchillas, small in viscachas

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• No ridge on dentary

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with rows of 2-3 transverse platesccc

Ctenomyidae

Tuco-tucos; 1 genus, 68 species

Range: Neotropical Zone; southern South America, mostly in open biomes like grasslands, steppes, and shrublands Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized thick bodies

• Large head, small ear pinnae, small eyes

• Short tails, short legs

• Blocky skull

ー

Wide zyogmatic arches

• Hystricognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Short paroccipital process attached to auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with simple kidney or C-shaped enamel rims forming a dentin lake

Octodontidae

Degus, Coruro, and Rock and Viscacha Rats; 7 genera, 16 species (1 extinct)

Range: Neotropical Zone: central and southern Andes of South America in desert scrub, shrublands, and beech forests Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized bodies, soft fur

• Large heads with pointed muzzles.

• Elongated skull

• Short paroccipital process attached to auditory bullae
  Hystricognathous Hystricomorphous

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with one infolding on each side (deep or shallow), sometimes forming a figure 8 or kidney.

Castoridae

Beavers; 1 genus, 2 species

Range: Nearctic, Palearctic Zones; northern Eurasia and North America, wherever there's water Characteristics:

• Medium to large stocky body, small ears

• Tail spatulate (flattened), webbed hindfoot

• Sciurognathous

• Sciuromorphous

• Large depression in basioccipital bone

• No postorbital process (compare with Sciurids)

• Enlarged incisors for cutting branches and small trees

• Zygomatic plate large, small slit-like infraorbital foramen

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with several complex infoldings

Geomyidae

Pocket Gophers; 7 genera, 42 species

Range:Nearctic & Panamanian Zones; Western Hemisphere; S Canada, through Mexico, to extreme N Columbia

Characteristics:

• Small to medium fusiform bodies

• Fur-lined external cheek pouches

• Short tail, small ears, large foreclaws

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• Two large holes/depressions on palatine posterior to molars

• Extra process on angular of dentary

• Infraorbital foramen flattened on rostrum

• Nasals don't extend beyond upper incisors

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Enlarged "8" shaped premolar

• Simple oval-shaped molars

Heteromyidae

Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats and Mice; 5 genera, 70 species

Range: Nearctic, Panamanian, Neotropical Zones; central and western North America, Central America, and northwest South America, in a variety of habitats Characteristics:

• Small to medium sized bodies, varied in form

• Fur-lined external cheek pouches

• Elongate hindlimbs and tails in kangaroo mice and rats

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• Infraorbital foramen flattened on rostrum, entirely pierces it, forming a hole

• Nasals and premaxillae extend anteriorly of incisors

• Greatly enlarged auditory bullae in some species

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars bilophodont or oval-shaped

Anomaluridae

Scaly-tailed Squirrels; 2 genera, 6 species

Range: Afrotropical Zone; west and central Africa, mostly in tropical rainforests Characteristics:

• Small to large bodies

• Patagium for gliding

• Cartilaginous rod on elbow to support patagium

• Long tufted tail

• Scales on underside of tail

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Blocky skulls (but less than Pedetidae)

• Nasals extend beyond incisors

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars with 4 transverse enamel ridges

Pedetidae

Springhares; 1 genus, 2 species

Range: Afrotropical Zone: west and southern Africa arid to semiarid regions

Characteristics:

- Large rodents with bipedal stance

• Hindlimbs longer than forelimbs

• Large eyes and ear pinnae, long furred tail

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Large infraorbital foramen, broad zygomatic arch/plate

• Extensive fossa on rostrum for attachment of the medial masseter

• Broad frontal & nasal bones, blocky skull

• Large auditory bullae

• Hindlimbs much longer than forelimbs

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.1.3

• Molars bilophodont with buccal and lingual enamel

Sminthidae

Birch Mice; 1 genus, 19 species

Range: Palearctic Zone Eurasia in a variety of habitats

Characteristics:

• Small with brown fur, often with dark, narrow stripes

• Limbs of equal length

• Long, semi-prehensile tail (shorter than jerboas)

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Zygomatic plate narrow entirely below large infraorbital foramen

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.0.3

• Molars with 4 cusps separated by wide fissures

Zapodidae

Jumping Mice; 3 genera, 11 species

Range: Nearctic, Palearctic Zones; North America and east Asia, mostly in woody habitats near

water

Characteristics:

• Small with yellow/red fur

• Short forelimbs

• Hindlimbs and hindfeet very long

• Slightly haired tail, very long

• Small ear pinnae

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Zygomatic plate narrow entirely below large infraorbital foramen

• Nasals extend beyond upper incisors

• Non-inflated auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.1.3/1.0.0.3

• Grooved upper incisors

• Complex infoldings on molars

Dipodidae

Jerboas; 14 genera, 41 species

Range: Afrotropical, Saharo-Arabian, Palearctic Zones; central and west Asia into north Africa, mostly in arid and semiarid habitats Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized

• Short forelimbs

• Hindlimbs very long, soles of feet furred

• Hairy tail longer than head and body, often tufted in black-and-white hair

• Long ear pinnae

• Sciurognathous

• Hystricomorphous

• Zygomatic plate narrow entirely below large infraorbital foramen

• Inflated auditory bullae

• Teeth: 1.0.(0-1).3/1.0.0.3

• Incisors with no groove

Spalacidae

Zokors, Blind Mole-rats, Bamboo Rats, and Root Rats; 7 genera, 41 species Range: Afrotropical, Palearctic, Oriental, Sino-Japanese Zones: eastern Europe, west Asia, and northeastern and western Africa, as well as east and southeast Asia in a variety of habitats ranging from arid grasslands and deserts to tropical rainforests Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized, mole-like bodies

• Small tails, eyes, and ears

• Robust skull, wide zygomatic arches

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• Teeth: 1.0.0.3/1.0.0.3

• Molars with several enamel infoldings (S-, Z-, or W- shaped)

Nesomyidae

African Pouched Rats, Climbing Mice, and Fat Mice; 21 genera, 71 species Range: Afrotropical Zone: Sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar, in virtually all habitat types Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized, variable in shape

• Variable eyes, ears, and tails

• Murid skull shape
  Nasals and premaxillae extend beyond incisors

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• Teeth: 1.0.0.3/1.0.0.3

• Molars with variable shape, often cuspidate

Cricetidae

Hamsters, Voles, Lemmings, and New World Rats and Mice; 156 genera, 876 species (17 extinct)

Range: Worldwide except Afrotropical, Madagascan, Oceanian, Australian Zones Characteristics:

• Small to large bodies

• Highly variable in shape and size

• Tail lightly furred

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

• V-shaped infraorbital foramen

ー

Nasals extend beyond upper incisors

• Teeth: 1.0.0.3/1.0.0.3

• Molars either cuspidate or flat and prismatic/semiprismatic

• Cuspidate molars with 2 longitudinal cusp rows

Muridae

Gerbils and Old World Rats and Mice; 163 genera, 869 species (19 extinct)

Range: natively throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia, but introduced worldwide (Rattus and Mus), found in nearly every habitat type Characteristics:

• Small to medium-sized bodies

• Mostly furless, scaly tails

• Sciurognathous

• Myomorphous

V-shaped infraorbital foramen

Teeth: 1.0.0.(2-3)/1.0.0.(2-3)

- Molars with 3 longitudinal cusp rows