Birch mice

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Birch mice
Forest birch mouse (Sicista betulina)

Forest birch mouse ( Sicista betulina )

Systematics
Subclass : Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodents (Rodentia)
Subordination : Mouse relatives (Myomorpha)
Family : Sminthidae
Genre : Birch mice
Scientific name of the  family
Sminthidae
Brandt , 1855
Scientific name of the  genus
Sicista
Gray , 1827

The birch mice ( Sicista ) or striped hop mice are a genus of mouse relatives (Myomorpha).

features

All species have a long tail 6.5–11 cm long and weigh about 6–14 g. The length of the head body is between 5 and 9 cm. The coat color is light brown or dark brown to brownish-yellow on the top and paler, but mostly also brownish, on the underside.

Way of life

The different species of birch mice can be found in different habitats such as forests, steppes, swamps, moors and subalpine meadows. They live in self-dug caves whose nest chambers are padded with dry grass and plant stems. They hop on the ground and are also able to climb branches. The animals are nocturnal .

species

The genus of the birch mice ( Sicista ) consists of 14 species:

Sicista betulina and Sicista subtilis differ from the other species by a conspicuous black line that runs along the middle of the back.

Systematics

The birch mice were long considered a subfamily of the jerboa (Dipodidae), although they have no elongated hind legs and externally resemble real mice , although it is assumed that they are at the base of the jerboa. In the Handbook of the Mammals of the World , a standard work on mammalogy , they are treated as separate families.

threat

The species Sicista armenica is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN . It is estimated that only about 250 animals are still alive. Sicista caudata is considered endangered due to habitat destruction . The forest birch mouse ( Sicista betulina ) and the steppe birch mouse ( Sicista subtilis ) are both considered to be at low risk despite their large distribution areas. The reason is probably their relatively special habitat requirements.

literature

  • David Macdonald (Ed.): The Great Encyclopedia of Mammals. Könemann in the Tandem-Verlag-GmbH, Königswinter 2004, ISBN 3-8331-1006-6 .
  • Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
  • Detlef Schilling, Detlef Singer: Mammals. 181 species of Europe (= BLV determination book. Vol. 34). BLV-Verlagsgesellschaft, Munich et al. 1983, ISBN 3-405-12846-3 .
  • Lexikon-Institut Bertelsmann (Hrsg.): The modern animal dictionary. In 12 volumes. Volume 10: Seeh - Tam. Bertelsmann, Gütersloh 1981, ISBN 3-570-06790-4 , pp. 267-268: Streifenhüpfmaus.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Don E. Wilson , Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Rodents II. Volume 7. Lynx Edicions, 2017, ISBN 978-84-16728-04-6
  2. ↑ Tamás Cserkész, Mikhail Rusin, Gábor Sramkó: An integrative systematic revision of the European southern birch mice (Rodentia: Sminthidae, Sicista subtilis group). Mammal Review, December 2015, doi: 10.1111 / mam.12058
  3. ↑ Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .

Web links

Commons : Sicista  - collection of images, videos and audio files