Mouse-like hamsters are a group of small rodents found in Syria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan. They are found in rocky outcrops and semi-mountainous area in desert regions.
The mouse-like hamsters are not true hamsters, but represent an early split from the rest of the mouse-like rodents. They were once thought to be hamsters based on the shape of their molars, but they lack the cheek pouches, sebaceous flank glands, and short tail of the true hamsters. The closest relatives of mouse-like hamsters may be the fossil Cricetodontidae. Because of their seemingly early break from the rest of the mouse-like rodents, mouse-like hamsters have been placed in a family of their own, Calomyscidae, and have been referred to as living fossils.
All members of this genus were once considered part of the same species, Calomyscus bailwardi, but they are now referred to as separate species due to major differences in chromosome number, skull measurements, and other features. There are almost certainly new species of mouse-like hamster yet to be described from places like Afghanistan and Iran.
Species
Calomyscus bailwardi - Zagros mouse-like hamster from Iran
Calomyscus tsolovi Syrian mouse-like hamster from Syria
Calomyscus urartensis Azeri mouse-like hamster from Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran
References
Jansa, S. A. and M. Weksler. Phylogeny of muroidrodents: relationships within and among major lineages as determined by IRBP gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:256-276.
Michaux, J., A. Reyes, and F. Catzeflis. 2001. Evolutionary history of the most speciose mammals: molecular phylogeny of muroidrodents. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17:280-293.
Steppan, S. J., R. A. Adkins, and J. Anderson. 2004. Phylogeny and divergence date estimates of rapid radiations in muroidrodents based on multiple nuclear genes. Systematic Biology, 53:533-553.
The term Cricetidae has gone through several permutations, and members of the family as currently defined are often placed in the family Muridae along with all other muroid subfamilies.
Many other muroids have been called members of the Cricetidae in the past such as mouse-like hamsters (subfamily Calomyscinae, family Calomyscidae), gerbils (subfamily Gerbillinae, family Muridae), the crested rat (subfamily Lophiomyinae, family Muridae), zokors (subfamily Myospalacinae, family Spalacidae), the white-tailed rat (subfamily Mystromyinae, family Nesomyidae), and spiny dormice (subfamily Platacanthomyinae, family Platacanthomyidae).
Genetic studies have shown that the subfamilies listed below are related (form a monophyletic group), and that these other animals should not be included in the Cricetidae.
Feeds |
Contact