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Rodents are the largest group of mammals, constituting almost half of the class Mammalia’s approximately 4,660 species. This is a list of selected rodents, arranged alphabetically by suborder and family.
- Rodents
rodent, (order Rodentia), any of more than 2,050 living...
- Rodents
- Tree Squirrels
- House Mice
- Rats
- Porcupines
- Chipmunks
- Pocket Gophers
- Beavers
- Hamsters
- Marmots
- Voles
Scientific name: Sciurus These rodents are known for their large, bushy tails. They primarily live in trees, which gives them easy access to their preferred food, tree nuts! Squirrels are highly adaptive and can thrive in many habitats. In North America, some of the most common varieties of tree squirrel include the fox squirrel and the eastern gra...
Scientific name: Mus musculus Despite its name, the house mouse lives in the wild, though it prefers habitats that are near humans. It can be found all over North America and is known to infest homes. These mice have small, round ears, long tails, and pointed snouts. House mice mature quickly and usually start breeding when they’re between six and ...
Scientific name: Rattus There are several creatures are commonly referred to as rats, but the typical rat is a part of the rattus genus. One of the most common rat species, the black rat, is native to India but can now be found worldwide! Another species, the brown rat, is the dominant rat in most of North America and Europe. Rats are similar in ap...
Scientific name: Hystricidae or Erethizontidae There are two disctinct rodent families families are known as porcupines. Old World porcupines, or hystricidae, can be found in Asia, Africa, and Europe. New World Porcupines, or erethizontidae, live in North and South America. All porcupines are covered in sharp quills, which they can use to scare off...
Scientific name:Tamias The chipmunk is a small rodent, typically measuring between 2 and 6 inches long with a 3-inch tail. It’s easy to recognize chipmunks thanks to the long stripes they have along their backs. These rodents are heavy sleepers and can sleep up to 15 hours per day! Chipmunks like to build complex burrow systems. The average chipmun...
Scientific name: Geomyidae Usually referred to as gophers, pocket gophers use their sharp claws to dig vast systems of tunnels. Since gophers primarily live underground, they prefer habitats with moist soil and lots of vegetation. They have large cheek pouches that they use to store dirt! Gophers are big eaters and typically consume around 60% of t...
Scientific name: Castor The beaver is a semiaquatic rodent, which means it splits its time between land and water! Beavers use rocks, muds, and tree branches to build dams along the water. They’re usually found near lakes, ponds, and rivers. One of the beaver’s most noticeable features is its tail, which is long and flat. While a beaver’s rear feet...
Scientific name: Cricetinae These small rodents have short tails, which makes them stand out from other rodent species. In North America, hamsters are domesticated and kept as pets. However, hamsters can be spotted in the wild throughout Europe and Asia. Most hamsters are crepuscular, which means they’re most active at dawn and dusk. In the wild, h...
Scientific name: Marmota The marmotis a ground squirrel and the largest member of the squirrel family! An adult marmot can be anywhere from 17 to 32 inches long, including its tail. They have short legs and long claws, which they use to dig holes underground! In North America, the most commonly seen species is the hoary marmot, which is typically f...
Scientific name: Microtus While people sometimes mistake voles for mice, they’re actually a close relative of hamsters! There are many vole species found across North America. The typical vole measures between 4 and 9 inches long and weighs around 2 ounces. Voles have a short lifespan and rarely live more than 6 months in the wild. They’re typicall...
Rodents (from Latin rodere, 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (/ r oʊ ˈ d ɛ n ʃ ə / roh-DEN-shə), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents.
Rodents are animals that gnaw with two continuously growing incisors. Forty percent of mammal species are rodents, and they inhabit every continent except Antarctica. This list contains circa 2,700 species in 518 genera in the order Rodentia. [1]
Sep 28, 2024 · rodent, (order Rodentia), any of more than 2,050 living species of mammals characterized by upper and lower pairs of ever-growing rootless incisor teeth. Rodents are the largest group of mammals, constituting almost half the class Mammalia’s approximately 4,660 species.
Sep 5, 2024 · As members of the order Rodentia, they constitute about 40% of all mammalian species, including some well-known animals like mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters that are native to all continents except Antarctica and some oceanic islands.
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Oct 29, 2020 · A rodent is a mammal in the order Rodentia. Familiar rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, beavers, porcupines and hamsters. Most rodents are small animals. Although the largest rodent, the capybara, is around the size of a medium-sized dog, most are much smaller.
