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 Antarctica. Some authorities have placed all members of this group into a single family, Muridae, due to difficulties in determining how the subfamilies are related to one another. Many of the families within the Muroidea superfamily have more variations between the families than between the different clades. A possible explanation for the variations in rodents is because of the location of these rodents; these changes could have been due to radiation or the overall environment they migrated to or originated in. The following taxonomy is based on recent well-supported molecular phylogenies.
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.
The Nesomyidae are a family of African rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to Madagascar. Included in this family are Malagasy rodents, climbing mice, African rock mice, swamp mice, pouched rats, and the white-tailed rat.
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families except the Cricetidae and Muridae, and is larger than all mammal orders except the bats and the remainder of the rodents.
Batomys is a genus of rodent endemic to the Philippines. It has six extant described species.
Dasymys is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice. The genus is endemic to Africa.
Malacomys is a genus of rodents in the family Muridae native to Africa. It is the only member of the tribe Malacomyini.
Mastomys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains eight species:
The dwarf multimammate mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only member of the genus Serengetimys; it was formerly classified in the genus Mastomys.
The Angolan multimammate mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was formerly classified in the genus Myomyscus but has been reclassified into the genus Mastomys. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and moist savanna.
Verreaux's mouse or Verreaux's white-footed rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Myomyscus. Other species that had been previously assigned to Myomyscus are now considered to belong to the genera Mastomys, Ochromyscus, Praomys and Stenocephalemys.
The Uzungwe vlei rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland and swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Pelomys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains the following species:
The delectable soft-furred mouse or East African praomys is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only member of the genus Montemys; it was formerly classified in the genus Praomys.
The Lukolela swamp rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Verschuren's swamp rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Ochromyscus is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae.
The Chingawa forest rat is a species of rodent endemic to Ethiopia. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Chingawaemys. It was only described in 2021, when it was discovered during a broad phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Praomyini.
Praomyini is a tribe of muroid rodents in the subfamily Murinae. Species in this tribe are found mostly throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, but one species is found in North Africa, and another is found in the Arabian Peninsula.
Arvicanthini is a tribe of muroid rodents in the subfamily Murinae. Almost all recent species in this tribe are or were found in Africa aside from one species, the Indian bush rat, which is found in South Asia and Iran. However, some fossil Golunda species from India and the genus Parapelomys are thought to have also occurred outside Africa, and one species in the fossil genus Saidomys may have also occurred in Afghanistan.
