Tree mice
| Tree mice | ||||||||||||
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Dendromus mystacalis |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Dendromurinae | ||||||||||||
| Allen , 1939 |
The tree mice or climbing mice (Dendromurinae) are a subfamily of the mice . There are 22 species, all of which are common in sub-Saharan Africa. Here they inhabit all habitats and can be found both in the savannah and in tropical rainforests . Most species require trees to be present, but despite the name, not all members of this subfamily lead a climbing way of life. A common feature are some peculiarities of the teeth, which distinguish them from other mice species. All species are of the typical mouse shape and are relatively small with a head trunk length between 5 and 14 cm.
Systematics
According to recent molecular genetic analyzes, tree mice are a sister group of the hamster rats in the newly established family of the Nesomyidae .
- African climbing mice ( Dendromus )
- Giant climbing mice ( megadendromus )
- African long-eared mice ( Malacothrix )
- Velvet climbing mice ( Dendroprionomys )
- Dollman tree mice ( Prionomys )
- Fat mice ( steatomys )
literature
- 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 .
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): 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 .
