New World rats and mice

New World Rats and Mice

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Superfamily:	Muroidea
Family:	Cricetidae

Subfamilies

Neotominae
Sigmodontinae
Tylomyinae

The New World rats and mice are a group of related rodents found in North and South America. They are extremely diverse in appearance and ecology, ranging in from the tiny Baiomys to the large Neotoma. They represent one of the few examples of muroid rodents (along with the voles) in North America, and the only example of muroid rodents to have made it into South America.

The New World rats and mice are often considered part of a single subfamily, Sigmodontinae, but the recent trend among muroid taxonomists is to recognize three separate subfamilies. This strategy better represents the extreme diversity of species numbers and ecological types.

Some molecular phylogenetic studies have suggested that the New World rats and mice are not a monophyletic group, but this is yet to be confirmed. Their closest relatives are clearly the hamsters and voles.

The New World rats and mice are divided into 3 subfamilies, 12 tribes, and 84 genera.

Classification

Family Cricetidae – hamsters, voles, and New World rats and mice
- Subfamily Tylomyinae
  - Otonyctomys
  - Nyctomys
  - Tylomys
  - Ototylomys
- Subfamily Neotominae
  - Tribe Baiomyini
    - Baiomys
    - Scotinomys
  - Tribe Neotomini
    - Neotoma
    - Xenomys
    - Hodomys
    - Nelsonia
  - Tribe Peromyscini
    - Peromyscus
    - Reithrodontomys
    - Onychomys
    - Neotomodon
    - Ochrotomys
    - Podomys
    - Isthmomys
    - Megadontomys
    - Habromys
    - Osgoodomys
- Subfamily Sigmodontinae
  - Rhagomys incertae sedis
  - Tribe Oryzomyini
    - Oryzomys
    - Nesoryzomys
    - Melanomys
    - Sigmodontomys
    - Nectomys
    - Amphinectomys
    - Oligoryzomys
    - Neacomys
    - Zygodontomys
    - Lundomys
    - Holochilus
    - Pseudoryzomys
    - Microakodontomys
    - Oecomys
    - Microryzomys
    - Scolomys
  - Tribe Thomasomyini
    - Chilomys
    - Abrawayaomys
    - Delomys
    - Thomasomys
    - Wilfredomys
    - Aepomys
    - Phaenomys
    - Rhipidomys
  - Tribe Wiedomyini
    - Wiedomys
  - Tribe Akodontini
    - Akodon
    - Bolomys
    - Podoxymys
    - Thalpomys
    - Abrothrix
    - Chroeomys
    - Chelemys
    - Notiomys
    - Pearsonomys
    - Geoxus
    - Blarinomys
    - Juscelinomys
    - Oxymycterus
    - Lenoxus
    - Brucepattersonius
  - Tribe Phyllotini
    - Calomys
    - Eligmodontia
    - Graomys
    - Salinomys
    - Phyllotis
    - Loxodontomys
    - Auliscomys
    - Galenomys
    - Chinchillula
    - Punomys
    - Andinomys
    - Irenomys
    - Euneomys
    - Neotomys
    - Reithrodon
  - Tribe Sigmodontini
    - Sigmodon
  - Tribe Scapteromyini
    - Scapteromys
    - Kunsia
    - Bibimys
  - Tribe Ichthyomyini
    - Neusticomys
    - Rheomys
    - Anotomys
    - Chibchanomys
    - Ichthyomys

References

McKenna, M. C. and S. K. Bell. 1997. Classification of Mammals above the Species Level. Columbia University Press, New York.

Steppan, S. J., R. A. Adkins, and J. Anderson. 2004. Phylogeny and divergence date estimates of rapid radiations in muroid rodents based on multiple nuclear genes. Systematic Biology, 53:533–553.

Categories: Rodents | Muroid rodents