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 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 blesmols, also known as mole-rats, or African mole-rats, are burrowing rodents of the family Bathyergidae. They represent a distinct evolution of a subterranean life among rodents much like the pocket gophers of North America, the tuco-tucos in South America, and the Spalacidae from Eurasia.
The link rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is also known by the common name Congo forest mouse. It is native to central Africa.
The African wading rat or African water rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia.
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".
Dephomys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains the following species:
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.
Malacomys is a genus of rodents in the family Muridae native to Africa. It is the only member of the tribe Malacomyini.
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 African groove-toothed rat or mill rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Brants's whistling rat or Brants' whistling rat is one of two species of murid rodent in the genus Parotomys. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and pastureland. It was first described in 1834 by the Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith who named it in honour of the Dutch zoologist and author Anton Brants.
Littledale's whistling rat is one of two species of murid rodent in the genus Parotomys, the other being Brants's whistling rat. It is found in Namibia and South Africa. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and temperate desert.
Pelomys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa. It contains the following species:
Tachyoryctes is a genus of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It contains the following species:
The Kenyan African mole-rat or Kenyan mole-rat is a species of rodent in the family Spalacidae. It is endemic to Kenya. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest.
Crawford-Cabral's shaggy rat or Crawford-Cabral's shaggy marsh rat is a species of shaggy marsh rat endemic to north-eastern Namibia, near the Okavango River.
