Heteromyidae
Appearance
Family Heteromyidae | |
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Taxonomic classification | |
Order: | Rodentia |
Suborder: | Supramyomorpha |
Infraorder: | Castorimorphi |
Introduction
From Hoffmeister (1986): "Relatively small-bodied rodents with long tails, most modified for jumping, with hind limbs elongated and forelimbs shortened, cheek pouches fur-lined and open externally, interparietal reduced, auditory bullae greatly inflated, incisors thin and compressed, no post-orbital process." Except for spiny pocket mice (Heteromys), heteromyids have grooved upper incisors. Five genera can be found in the United States: Chaetodipus, Dipodomys, Heteromys, Microdipodops, and Perognathus.
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Giant Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ingens), the largest species of Heteromyidae in North America -
Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus), the smallest species of Heteromyidae in North America -
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys merriami) -
Hispid Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus hispidus) -
Dark Kangaroo Mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus) -
Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse (Heteromys irroratus) -
Reduced interparietal, shown in the Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii) -
Inflated auditory bullae, shown in the Ord's Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii) -
Greatly inflated auditory bullae in the Pallid Kangaroo Mouse (Microdipodops pallidus) -
Fur-lined cheek pouches in the Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens). Arrow points to the inside of one of the fur-lined cheek pouches, which can be expanded greatly to accommodate and transport seeds.
Available taxon pages
The following subfamilies are available on WhiskerWiki for this family:
- Subfamily: Perognathinae
- Tribe: No information
- Genus: Chaetodipus
- Genus: Perognathus
- Tribe: No information
- Subfamily: Dipodomyinae
- Tribe: No information
- Genus: Dipodomys
- Subgenus: No information
- Genus: Microdipodops
- Subgenus: No information
- Genus: Dipodomys
- Tribe: No information
- Subfamily: Heteromyinae
- Tribe: No information
- Genus: Heteromys
- Subgenus: No information
- Genus: Heteromys
- Tribe: No information
References
Hoffmeister DF. 1986. Mammals of Arizona. Tucson (AZ, USA): University of Arizona Press.