Heteromyidae
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 Kangaroo rat
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Dipodomyinae |
The family of rodents that include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice and rock pocket mice is the Heteromyidae family. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the Heteromys and Liomys genera are also found in forests and extend down as far as northern South America. They feed mostly on seeds and other plant parts, which they carry in their cheek pouches to their burrows.
Although they are very different in physical appearance, the closest relatives of the heteromyids are pocket gophers in the Geomyidae family.
[edit] Taxonomy
- Family Heteromyidae
- Subfamily Heteromyinae
- Genus Heteromys
- Genus Liomys
- Subfamily Dipodomyinae
- Genus Dipodomys
- Genus Microdipodops
- Subfamily Perognathinae
- Genus Perognathus
- Genus Chaetodipus incertae sedis
- Subfamily Heteromyinae
[edit] References
- Alexander, L. F. and B. R. Riddle. 2005. Phylogenetics of the New World rodent family Heteromyidae. Journal of Mammalogy, 86:399-379.
[edit] External links
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