A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae. Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibernation period of six months or longer.
Sciuromorpha ( 'squirrel-like') is a rodent clade that includes several different rodent families. It includes all members of the Sciuridae as well as the mountain beaver species.
The zygomasseteric system in rodents is the anatomical arrangement of the masseter muscle of the jaw and the zygomatic arch of the skull. The anteroposterior or propalinal (front-to-back) motion of the rodent jaw is enabled by an extension of the zygomatic arch and the division of the masseter into a superficial, lateral and medial muscle. The four main types are described as protrogomorphous, sciuromorphous, hystricomorphous, and myomorphous.
The African dormice are dormice that live throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a variety of habitats. They are very agile climbers and have bushy tails. They eat invertebrates and small vertebrates.
The Angolan African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. Found in central and north Angola and western Zambia, it has been recorded from seven localities over an altitudinal range from 1,000 to 2,000 m above sea level. Its natural habitat is tropical dry forests. Although the population size is unknown, it is thought to be generally uncommon.
Christy's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Jentink's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo, and possibly Benin, Equatorial Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical, moist lowland forests.
The Johnston's African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is moist savanna.
Kellen's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is native to tropical Africa where its range extends from the Gambia and Senegal to Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, and moist or dry savannah.
The Lorrain dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist, lowland forests, moist savanna, and plantations.
The small-eared dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Monard's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and possibly Zambia. Its natural habitat is moist Central Zambezian miombo woodlands savanna.
The woodland dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is native to southern and eastern Africa and is also known as the African dormouse, African dwarf dormouse, African pygmy dormouse, or colloquially as micro squirrel. Found in limited numbers in the pet trade, it has complicated care requirements compared to other pet rodents. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist montane forests and rivers.
The spectacled dormouse or namtap is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae, and one of four dormouse species endemic to South Africa.
The rock dormouse or flat-headed African dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe where it lives among rocks in upland areas. It is a fairly common, mainly nocturnal species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The stone dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is found in Namibia, South Africa, and possibly Angola. Its natural habitat is rocky areas in the Karoo. Though it has a limited range, it is a fairly common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Walter Verheyen's African dormouse is a monotypic species of rodent in the family Gliridae. From the Central Congolian lowland forests ecoregion in the central Congo Basin, it has been found in west-central Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the vicinity of the Lukenie River and of Wafania, near the left bank of the Luilaka River. Although not found in immediate association, Lorraine's dormouse and the short-eared African dormouse are understood to be "broadly sympatric". Most closely resembling Jentink's dormouse, it differs from this species both in its much smaller size and in its relative proportions. On the IUCN Red List, its conservation status has been assessed as Data Deficient.
