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.
The Deccan thorn scrub forests are a xeric shrubland ecoregion of south India and northern Sri Lanka. Historically this area was covered by tropical dry deciduous forest, but this only remains in isolated fragments. The vegetation now consists of mainly of southern tropical thorn scrub type forests. These consist of open woodland with thorny trees with short trunks and low, branching crowns; spiny and xerophytic shrubs; and dry grassland. This is the habitat of the great Indian bustard and blackbuck, though these and other animals are declining in numbers; this area was at one time home to large numbers of elephants and tigers. Almost 350 species of bird have been recorded here. The remaining natural habitat is threatened by overgrazing and invasive weeds, but there are a number of small protected areas which provide a haven for the wildlife. Trees in these forests have adapted to not require much water.
The short-footed Luzon tree rat or greater dwarf cloud rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in the Philippines, specifically in northern Luzon. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests.
The giant bushy-tailed cloud rat or Luzon bushy-tailed cloud rat is a large, endangered species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is only found in pine and mossy forest at altitudes of 2,000–2,740 metres (6,560–8,990 ft) in the Central Cordillera of Luzon, the Philippines. Relatively little is known about its behavior, but it is nocturnal, mainly arboreal and feeds on various types of vegetation.
The West African shaggy rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Sulawesi soft-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Eropeplus. It is found only in Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Mount Oku rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Lamottemys. It is found only in Cameroon where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat destruction.
The Natal multimammate mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is also known as the Natal multimammate rat, the common African rat, or the African soft-furred mouse. The Natal multimammate rat is the natural host of the Lassa fever virus.
The fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat, or fawn-footed melomys is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found along eastern coastal regions of Australia.
The sand-colored soft-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in India and Pakistan.
Miss Ryley's soft-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in central Myanmar, and was also recorded on Mount Popa.
The Kondana soft-furred rat, also known as the Kondana rat or large metad, is an endangered species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is a nocturnal burrowing rat that is endemic to the Sinhgad plateau near Pune, Maharashtra, India. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and urban areas. Major threats are habitat loss, overgrazing of vegetation, and disturbance from tourism and recreational activities.
The soft-furred rat, or soft-furred metad, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae native to South Asia.
The Palawan soft-furred mountain rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only species in the genus Palawanomys. It is found only in Palawan, Philippines, and has been recorded on Mount Mantalingajan.
The little soft-furred rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only on the upper slopes of Mount Lampobattang in Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It gets its name from its soft, silky fur. It is smaller than a roof rat, but larger than a house mouse.
The Himalayan field rat, sometimes known as the white-footed Indo-Chinese rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It has a wide range, being found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, with introduced populations in Indonesia (widely), Palau, and the Philippines. A common species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The Indian gerbil also known as antelope rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae.
The lesser bamboo rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is monotypic within the genus Cannomys. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Thailand.
Millardini is a tribe of muroid rodents in the subfamily Murinae. Species in this tribe are found in South and Southeast Asia.
