Deomyinae
| Deomyinae | ||||||||||||
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Egyptian spiny mouse ( Acomys cahirinus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Deomyinae | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1888 |
The Deomyinae are a subfamily of the long-tailed mice (Muridae) with around 42 species in four genera.
Outwardly they are mice-like animals with a head-trunk length of seven to 18 centimeters. The fur of most species is long and dense, its coloration varies from yellowish to reddish-brown to gray-black. Some species have spines on their backs.
Deomyinae live in Africa , in western Asia to Pakistan and on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Crete . Their habitat is variable and ranges from desert areas to dense forests.
Most species are ground dwellers, depending on the species they can be diurnal, crepuscular or nocturnal. Their diet is unusual for rodents: in many cases they mainly eat insects or even small vertebrates, but they often also eat plant-based foods.
The Deomyinae comprise four genera:
- Congo wood mouse ( Deomys ferrugineus )
- Spiny mice ( Acomys ), around 20 species
- Brush hair mice ( Lophuromys ), around 20 species
- White-bellied hairbrush mouse ( Uranomys ruddi )
While the latter three genera had long been recognized as closely related and were occasionally summarized as Acomyinae, the Congo wood mouse was often incorporated into the tree mice (Dendromurinae) or managed as a separate subfamily Deomyinae. However, molecular genetic studies have confirmed the relationship between these four genera. There are no clear morphological similarities.
literature
- 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 .
Web links
- Information on Animal Diversity Web