Comb finger
| Comb finger | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Common Gundi ( Ctenodactylus gundi ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the partial order | ||||||||||||
| Ctenodactylomorphi | ||||||||||||
| Chaline & Mein , 1979 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the family | ||||||||||||
| Ctenodactylidae | ||||||||||||
| Gervais , 1853 |
The comb fingers or gundis (Ctenodactylidae) are a family of African rodents , to which five recent species in four genera are counted.
features
Comb fingers have a distant resemblance to the South American guinea pigs . As with these, the body is compact and cylindrical. The legs are short and each end in four toes. The two middle toes on the rear feet have a bristle comb, which gave the animals their name “comb fingers”.
Distribution and way of life
Comb fingers are common on the northern and southern edges of the Sahara . Here they live in desert and semi-desert habitats. They do not dig burrows or build nests, but seek shelter in natural crevices. Comb fingers are generally active during the day, but rest during the midday heat. Your food is purely vegetable.
Systematics
The relationships between the comb fingers are largely unknown. It is certain that the comb fingers were once a widespread and species-rich group of rodents; From the Oligocene to the Pleistocene , fossil remains of numerous genera and species that are now extinct can be found throughout Eurasia and Africa. McKenna and Bell group the comb fingers together with the fossil families Sciuravidae ( Eocene , North America and Asia), Ivanantoniidae (Eocene, Asia), Chapattimyidae (Eocene to Miocene , Eurasia and Africa) and Cylinderodontidae (Eocene to Miocene, North America and Asia) large taxon Ctenodactylomorphi or Sciuravida, whose only survivors would be the comb fingers. One assumption is that the Sciuravida belong to the porcupine relatives (Hystricomorpha), where they are the sister group of all other representatives of this group; both are very early rodent lines and had separated from each other in the Eocene or before.
The newly discovered Laotian rock rat ( Laonastes aenigmamus ), which, according to the latest findings, is classified in the otherwise extinct family of the Diatomyidae , could also belong to the Sciuravida.
The following species living today are distinguished:
- Speke comb finger ( Pectinator spekei )
- Felou comb finger ( Felovia uae )
- Mzab comb finger ( Massoutiera mzabi )
- Actual comb finger ( Ctenodactylus gundi )
- Val-Gundi ( Ctenodactylus vali )
Keeping in zoos
In November 2011, when the Frankfurt Zoo started keeping Gundi, comb fingers were considered a rarity in zoos: they were only kept in ten zoos worldwide. In 2020, Gundis could already be seen in 25 zoos in Europe alone.
literature
- JJ Beintema, K. Rodewald, G. Braunitzer, J. Czelusniak, M. Goodman: Studies on the phylogenetic position of the Ctenodactylidae (Rodentia). In: Molecular Biology and Evolution. Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991, ISSN 0737-4038 , pp. 151-154, online (PDF; 347 kB) .
- Michael D. Carleton, Guy G. Musser: Order Rodentia. In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 3. Edition. Volume 2, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 , pp. 745-1600.
- Malcolm C. McKenna, Susan K. Bell: Classification of Mammals. Above the species level. Columbia University Press, New York NY 1997, ISBN 0-231-11013-8 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. 2 volumes, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ New at Frankfurt Zoo - a lively Gundi family has moved into the Grzimekhaus. Press release from Frankfurt Zoo on January 10, 2012.
- ↑ Current attitudes on Zootierliste.de. Retrieved February 19, 2020.