Croissant relatives

Croissant relatives
	Golden-mantled ground burrow ( Spermophilus lateralis )
Systematics
Class :	Mammals (mammalia)
Subclass :	Higher mammals (Eutheria)
Superordinate :	Euarchontoglires
without rank:	Glires
Order :	Rodents (Rodentia)
Subordination :	Croissant relatives
Scientific name
	Sciuromorpha
	Brandt , 1855
Familys
	Stumptail Squirrel (Aplodontiidae); Squirrel (Sciuridae); Dormouse (Gliridae);

The squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha, sometimes also Sciurognathi) are a subordination in the order of the rodents (Rodentia). In the past, various groups were included in this subordination.

The traditional division was based on the shape of the infraorbital canal . Carleton and Musser (2005) have redefined the subordination of rodents according to morphological and molecular genetic aspects and summarize three families in this subordination:

the stubby- tailed squirrel (Aplodontiidae)

the squirrels (Sciuridae) and

the dormice (Gliridae).

In particular, the assignment of the dormice to this group is surprising, as they were usually included in the subordination of mouse relatives (myomorpha) due to their mouse-like appearance .

In some systematics, beavers and sometimes pocket rats and pocket mice are also found in this suborder, but these are assigned to a new suborder, the beaver relatives (Castorimorpha). Older works also included the thorn-tailed squirrels , the comb fingers and the jumping hares as part of the squirrel relatives. In the system used here, these families are assigned to other branches of the rodent system.

Often the crescent relatives are placed at the base of the rodents because of some original features.

literature

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. Volume 2. 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 , pp. 745-1600.