Nesomyidae is a family of mammals in the order Rodentia and part of the Myomorpha suborder. Members of this family are called nesomyids, and include Malagasy rodents, climbing mice, African rock mice, pouched rats, and tufted-tailed rats. They are found in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, and deserts, though some species can be found in rocky areas. They range in size from Monard's African climbing mouse, at plus a tail, to the southern giant pouched rat, at plus a tail. Nesomyids are generally omnivores, and eat seeds, fruit, nuts, roots, stems, and insects. Few nesomyids have population estimates, but five species—the white-tipped tufted-tailed rat, greater big-footed mouse, western nesomys, eastern voalavo, and Petter's tufted-tailed rat—are categorized as endangered, while the Mount Kahuzi climbing mouse and Malagasy giant rat are categorized as critically endangered.

The 67 extant species of Nesomyidae are divided into 21 genera, divided into 6 subfamilies. Cricetomyinae contains 8 species of hamster-rats and pouched rats in 3 genera, Delanymyinae contains a single species, Dendromurinae contains 26 species of climbing mice and fat mice in 6 genera, Mystromyinae contains a single species, Nesomyinae contains 27 species of short-tailed rats, tufted-tailed rats, and big-footed mice in 9 genera, and Petromyscinae contains 4 species of rock mice in a single genus. Several extinct prehistoric nesomyid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries, the exact number and categorization is not fixed.

Conventions

The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the nesomyid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.

Classification

Nesomyidae is a family consisting of 67 extant species in 21 genera. These genera are divided into six subfamilies: Cricetomyinae, containing 8 species of in 3 genera; Delanymyinae, containing a single species; Dendromurinae, containing 26 species in 6 genera; Mystromyinae, containing a single species; Nesomyinae, containing 27 species in 9 genera; and Petromyscinae, containing 4 species in a single genus. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.

Family Nesomyidae Subfamily Cricetomyinae Genus Beamys (hamster-rats): two species Genus Cricetomys (pouched rats): four species Genus Saccostomus (pouched mice): one species Subfamily Delanymyinae Genus Delanymys (Delany's mouse): one species Subfamily Dendromurinae Genus Dendromus (climbing mice): fourteen species Genus Dendroprionomys (velvet climbing mouse): one species Genus Malacothrix (gerbil mouse): one species Genus Megadendromus (Nikolaus's mouse): one species Genus Prionomys (Dollman's tree mouse): one species Genus Steatomys (fat mice): eight species Subfamily Mystromyinae Genus Mystromys (white-tailed rat): one species Subfamily Nesomyinae Genus Brachytarsomys (antsangies): two species Genus Brachyuromys (short-tailed rats): two species Genus Eliurus (tufted-tailed rats): twelve species Genus Gymnuromys (voalavoanala): one species Genus Hypogeomys (Malagasy giant rat): one species Genus Macrotarsomys (big-footed mice): three species Genus Monticolomys (Malagasy mountain mouse): one species Genus Nesomys (red forest rats): three species Genus Voalavo (voalavos): two species Subfamily Petromyscinae Genus Petromyscus (rock mice): four species

Nesomyids The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists.

Subfamily Cricetomyinae

Subfamily Delanymyinae

Subfamily Dendromurinae

Subfamily Mystromyinae

Subfamily Nesomyinae

Subfamily Petromyscinae

References Wilson; Reeder, pp. 930–954

Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 214–215 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 216–217 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 218–219

Nowak, p. 1346 Nowak, p. 1425 Nowak, pp. 1434–1435 Nowak, p. 1437 Nowak, p. 1487 Nowak, pp. 1488–1489 Nowak, p. 1490 Nowak, pp. 1492–1493 Nowak, p. 1495 Nowak, p. 1496

Sources