Dipodomyinae

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Dipodomyinae
Temporal range: Late Miocene – Recent
Kangaroo-rat.jpg
Kangaroo rat
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Heteromyidae
Subfamily: Dipodomyinae
Gervais, 1853
Genera

Dipodomyinae is a subfamily of heteromyid rodents, the kangaroo rats and mice. Dipodomyines, as implied by both their common and scientific names, are bipedal; they also jump exceptionally well. Kangaroo rats and mice are native to desert and semidesert ecosystems of western North America from southern Canada to central Mexico. They are generally herbivorous foragers, and dig and live in burrows.

Taxonomy

Dipodomyinae is the sister group of a Perognathinae-Heteromyinae clade; the two are estimated to have split about 22-24 million years (Ma) ago. The most recent common ancestor of extant dipodomyines is thought to have lived 15-16 Ma ago, when the two genera split. The most recent common ancestors of extant members of Dipodomys and Microdipodops are thought to have lived 10-11 and 7-8 Ma ago, respectively. [1]

Related Research Articles

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Kangaroo rat A genus of mammals belonging to the kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, and pocket mice family of rodents

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 this mode of locomotion independently, like several other clades of rodents.

Nesomyidae Family of rodents

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Heteromyidae Family of rodents

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Kangaroo mouse A genus of mammals belonging to the kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, and pocket mice family of rodents

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Perognathinae subfamily of rodents

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Ords kangaroo rat Species of rodent

Ord's kangaroo rat is a kangaroo rat native to western North America, specifically the Great Plains and the Great Basin, with its range extending from extreme southern Canada to central Mexico.

The agile kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Baja California, Mexico and southern California in the United States.

Desert kangaroo rat Species of rodent

The desert kangaroo rat is a rodent species in the family Heteromyidae that is found in desert areas of southwestern North America. It is one of the large kangaroo rats, with a total length greater than 12 inches (30 cm) and a mass greater than 3.2oz (91g).

Merriams kangaroo rat Species of rodent

Merriam's kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. The species name commemorates Clinton Hart Merriam.

Panamint kangaroo rat Species of rodent

The Panamint kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is endemic to the Mojave Desert in eastern California and western Nevada, in the United States.

Narrow-faced kangaroo rat Species of rodent

The narrow-faced kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is endemic to California in the United States.

The dark kangaroo mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah in the United States.

Heteromyinae is a subfamily of rodents in the family Heteromyidae, commonly known as spiny pocket mice. It contains a single extant genus, Heteromys, as well as the extinct genera Diprionomys and Metaliomys. Heteromys was recently enlarged by inclusion of the members of formerly recognized heteromyine genus Liomys, which was found to be paraphyletic.

References

  1. Hafner, J. C.; Light, J. E.; Hafner, D. J.; Hafner, M. S.; Reddington, E.; Rogers, D. S.; Riddle, B. R. (2007-10-18). "Basal Clades and Molecular Systematics of Heteromyid Rodents". Journal of Mammalogy. 88 (5): 1129–1145. doi: 10.1644/06-MAMM-A-413R1.1 .