Tylomyinae
| Tylomyinae | ||||||||||||
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Nyctomys sumichrasti (right) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Tylomyinae | ||||||||||||
| Reig , 1984 |
The tylomyinae are a subfamily of the rodent family of agitators (Cricetidae). With 10 species they are the poorest of the three groups into which the New World mice are divided.
features
They are medium-sized to large New World mice with a head body length of 10 to 26 centimeters. The tail is usually a little longer than the body. The fur is brownish, gray or black on the upper side, the underside is lighter. The ears are often large and hairless. The hind feet are adapted to a tree-dwelling way of life.
Distribution and way of life
Tylomyinae occur almost exclusively in Central America , where they are distributed from southern Mexico to Panama . Only the climbing rat Tylomys mirae is native to northwestern South America ( Colombia and Ecuador ). The habitat of these animals are forests, often on rocky ground. They occur up to an altitude of 2000 meters.
The representatives of the Tylomyinae are almost exclusively tree dwellers. They are mostly nocturnal and during the day they retreat to self-made nests made of grass and twigs. They usually live solitary or in small family groups and often react aggressively to other species. They are mainly herbivores that eat seeds, fruits and leaves.
Systematics
The following four genera in two tribes are counted among the Tylomyinae:
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Tribe Nyctomyini
- Vesper rat ( Nyctomys sumichrasti )
- Yucatan Vesper Rat ( Otonyctomys hatti )
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Tribe Tylomyini
- Climbing rats ( Tylomys ), 7 species
- Big-eared climbing rat ( Ototylomys phylotis )
This group can be defined morphologically , but it is uncertain whether it is actually monophyletic . While the close relationship within the two tribes is undisputed, the exact parentage and systematic relationships to the other New World mice are unclear.
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 .
