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 Malagasy rodents are the sole members of the subfamily Nesomyinae. These animals are the only native rodents of Madagascar, come in many shapes and sizes, and occupy a wide variety of ecological niches. There are nesomyines that resemble gerbils, rats, mice, voles, and even rabbits. There are arboreal, terrestrial, and semi-fossorial varieties.
The red owl is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae. It is also known as the Madagascar red owl, Madagascar grass-owl and Soumagne's owl. It is a rare resident of Madagascar that was virtually unknown from its discovery in 1876 to its rediscovery by researchers from the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1993. It is currently listed as vulnerable because of habitat loss, but recent studies have determined it may have a wider range than first believed, though further research in distribution and ecology is required. It has possibly been overlooked because of its close resemblance to the closely related barn owl.
The white-tipped tufted-tailed rat is a rodent endemic to Madagascar. It is known from only two specimens, one collected from Ampitambe forest in 1895 or 1896 and the second in 2000. It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species due to habitat loss.
Major's tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. The species was named in honor of Swiss zoologist C. I. Forsyth Major.
Eliurus is a genus of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It contains the following species:
The lesser tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only in Madagascar.
The dormouse tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only in Madagascar.
The Tanala tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only in Madagascar.
Webb's tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Voalavo is a genus of rodent in the subfamily Nesomyinae, found only in Madagascar. Two species are known, both of which occur in mountain forest above 1250 m (4100 ft) altitude; the northern voalavo lives in northern Madagascar and eastern voalavo is restricted to a small area in the central part of the island. The genus was discovered in 1994 and formally described in 1998. Within Nesomyinae, it is most closely related to the genus Eliurus, and DNA sequence data suggest that the current definitions of these two genera need to be changed.
The eastern voalavo is a rodent in the family Nesomyidae which occurs in the Anjozorobe forest of eastern Madagascar. Although surveys before 2002 failed to record the species, it is common in some places. However, it is threatened by habitat loss because of slash-and-burn agriculture. The species was formally described in 2005 and is most closely related to the only other species of Voalavo, the northern voalavo from northern Madagascar.
The northern voalavo, also known as the naked-tailed voalavo or simply the voalavo, is a rodent in the family Nesomyidae found in the Northern Highlands of Madagascar. Discovered in 1994 and formally described in 1998, it is the type species of the genus Voalavo; its closest relative is the eastern voalavo of the Central Highlands. DNA sequencing suggests that it may be more closely related to Grandidier's tufted-tailed rat than to other species of the closely related genus Eliurus. The northern voalavo is found at 1,250 to 1,950 m above sea level in montane wet and dry forests in the Marojejy and Anjanaharibe-Sud massifs. Nocturnal and solitary, it lives mainly on the ground, but it can climb and probably eats plant matter. Despite having a small range, the species is classified as being of least concern because it lacks obvious threats and much of its range is within protected areas.
The Ankarana Special Reserve tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It was first described in 2009. It is endemic to Madagascar, in the Ankarana Special Reserve.
The Malagasy mountain mouse or Koopman's montane voalavo is a rodent within the subfamily Nesomyinae of the family Nesomyidae. It is monotypic within the genus Monticolomys, and is closely related to the big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys). It is found in the highlands of eastern Madagascar. A small mouse-like rodent, it is dark brown on the upperparts and dark gray below. It has small, rounded, densely haired ears and broad feet with well-developed pads. The long tail lacks a tuft at the tip. The skull is delicate and lacks crests and ridges on its roof.
Daniel's tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It was discovered in 2003 in the Parc National de l’Isalo in south-central Madagascar. It is named for Daniel Rakotondravony, professor of animal biology at the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Petter's tufted-tailed rat is a rodent in the genus Eliurus found in lowland eastern Madagascar. First described in 1994, it is most closely related to the smaller Eliurus grandidieri. Virtually nothing is known of its natural history, except that it occurs in rainforest and is nocturnal and solitary. It is threatened by destruction and fragmentation of its habitat and is listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List.
The Tsingy tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is endemic to western and northern Madagascar, and has been observed mainly in dry forest. As a result of deforestation, the habitat of E. antsingy is at risk.
Ellerman's tufted-tailed rat is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae. It is endemic to eastern Madagascar. As only two specimens of this species have been observed, questions have been raised regarding whether this taxon is distinct from Eliurus tanala.
