Zokors are Asiatic burrowing rodents resembling mole rats. They are all members of the genus Myospalax, which is the only genus in the subfamilyMyospalacinae. The genus name of Siphneus is often used, but Myospalax is technically correct. Zokors are native to much of China, Kazhakstan, and Siberian Russia.
Unlike the other spalacids, which primarily use their incisors, zokors use their powerful front claws for digging. They have small eyes and no external ears. Zokors feed on plant matter such as tubers and grain.
Zokor bone is sometimes used as a more environmentally friendly alternative to tiger bone in traditional Chinese medicine. This product is called Sailonggu.
The Myospalacinae contains a single genus and 7 species.
Taxonomy
Subfamily Myospalacinae
Genus Myospalax
Subgenus Myospalax
Myospalax aspalax
Myospalax epsilanus
Myospalax myospalax
Myospalax psilurus (May represent a distinct subgenus)
Subgenus Eospalax
Myospalax fontanierii
Myospalax rothschildi
Myospalax smithii
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.
Norris, R. W., K. Y. Zhou, C. Q. Zhou, G. Yang, C. W. Kilpatrick, and R. L. Honeycutt. 2004. The phylogenetic position of the zokors (Myospalacinae) and comments on the families of muroids (Rodentia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:972-978.
Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.
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 muroidsubfamilies.
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 (subfamilyMyospalacinae, 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