Cricetinae is a subfamily of mammals in the rodent family Cricetidae, which in turn is part of the Myomorpha suborder in the order Rodentia. Members of this subfamily are called cricetines or hamsters. They are found in Europe and Asia, primarily in shrublands, grasslands, and deserts, though some species can be found in forests and wetlands. They range in size from the Roborovski dwarf hamster, at plus a tail, to the European hamster, at plus a tail. Cricetines generally eat shoots and seeds, though some also eat a variety of other vegetation, insects, and small vertebrates. No cricetines have population estimates, but the golden hamster is categorized as endangered, while the European hamster is categorized as critically endangered. Several hamster species, particularly the golden hamster, Chinese striped hamster, and dwarf hamsters, have been domesticated as pets.
The eighteen extant species of Cricetinae are divided into nine genera, ranging in size from one to four species. Several extinct prehistoric cricetine 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 cricetine's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.
Classification Cricetinae is a subfamily of the rodent family Cricetidae consisting of eighteen extant species in nine genera. These genera range in size from one to four species. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.
Subfamily Cricetinae Tribe Cricetini Genus Allocricetulus (Mongolian hamsters): two species Genus Cansumys (Gansu hamster): one species Genus Cricetulus (ratlike hamsters): three species Genus Cricetus (European hamster): one species Genus Nothocricetulus: one species Genus Tscherskia (Greater long-tailed hamster): one species Tribe Mesocricetini Genus Mesocricetus (golden hamsters): four species Tribe Urocricetini Genus Phodopus (dwarf hamsters): three species Genus Urocricetus: two species
Cricetines 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.
Tribe Cricetini
Tribe Mesocricetini
Tribe Urocricetini
References Wilson; Reeder, pp. 1039-1045
Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, p. 220 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, p. 221
Nowak, p. 1419 Nowak, p. 1420 Nowak, p. 1421 Nowak, p. 1422 Nowak, p. 1423
Sources