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Spalacidae

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	Spalacidae
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	Topics Spalacidae Topic Home The Spalacidae, or spalacids are a familyFamily (biology) In biological classification, family is 1) a rank or 2) a taxon in that rank.... of rodentRodent Rodentia is an order of mammals . Members of the order Rodentia are called rodents.... s in the large and complex superfamily MuroideaMuroidea Muroidea is a large superfamily of rodents.... . They are native to eastern AsiaAsia Asia is the largest and most populous continent or region, depending on the definition.... , the Horn of AfricaHorn of Africa The Horn of Africa or Somali Peninsula is a peninsula of East Africa that juts for hundreds of kilometers into the Ara... , the Middle EastMiddle East The Middle East is a subcontinent for the historical and cultural subregion of Africa-Eurasia traditionally held to be count... , and south-eastern EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... . It includes the blind mole ratBlind mole rat Blind mole rats are one of many types of rodents that are referred to as mole rats.... s, bamboo ratBamboo rat The bamboo rats are four species of rodents of the subfamily Rhizomyinae.... s, root ratTachyoryctes *Tachyoryctes* is a genus of rodent in the Spalacidae family.... s, and zokorZokor Zokors are Asiatic burrowing rodents resembling mole rats.... s. This family represents the oldest split (excluding perhaps the PlatacanthomyinaePlatacanthomyinae The family Platacanthomyidae includes the spiny dormice and the Chinese pygmy dormice.... ) in the muroid superfamily, and comprises animals adapted to a way of life. It was thought that these rodents evolved adaptations to living underground independently until recent genetic studies demonstrated that they form a monophyletic group. Members of the Spalacidae are often placed in the family MuridaeMuridae Muridae is the largest family of mammals.... along with all other members of the Muroidea. Characteristics Spalacids are mouseMouse A mouse is a mammal that belongs to one of numerous species of small rodents.... to ratRat A rat is any one of about 56 different species of small, omnivorous rodents belonging to the genus *Rattus.... sized rodents, adapted to burrowing and living underground. They have short limbs, wedge-shaped skulls, strong neck muscles, large incisorIncisor Incisors* are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. ... teeth, and small eyes and external ears. In the zokors, which dig primarily with their feet, rather than their teeth, the front clawClaw A claw is a curved pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger or, in arthropods, of the tarsus.... s are also massively enlarged. These features are least extreme in the bamboo rats, which spend at least some of their time above ground, foraging for food. They are most highly developed in the blind mole rats, whose eyes are completely covered by skin, and entirely lack external ears or tails. All of the spalacid species dig extensive underground burrows, which may include storage chambers for food, latrineLatrine A latrine is a method of disposal of human waste used in rural areas and much of the developing world.... chambers, breeding nests, and so on. They are generally solitary animals, and do not share their tunnel complexes with other individuals. All the species are herbivoreHerbivore Herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants.... s, feeding on rootFacts About Root In vascular plants, the root is that organ of a plant body that typically lies below the surface of the soil .... s, bulbs, and tuberTuber A tuber is a part of a rhizome thickened for use as a storage organ.... s. They give birth to litters of up to six young after a gestationGestation Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal.... period of between three and seven weeks, depending on the species. As with many other muroids, the young are born blind, hairless, and helpless. They may stay with the mother for several months before setting off to establish their own burrows, although some species disperse as soon as they are weanedWeaning Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either human or animal, to what will be its adult diet and ... . Technical Characters Norris et al. listed several characteristics that are present in all members of this family and that distinguish them from the rest of the muroids, (the cladeClade In cladistics, a clade is a group of organisms consisting of a single common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancest... EumuroidaEumuroida Eumuroida is a clade defined in 2004 to describe a group of muroid rodents.... ). These are "the reduction or absence of external eyes, reduced pinnae, stocky body, short tail (<50% head and body length), broad rostrumRostrum Rostrum can mean one of several different things:... , triangular-shaped braincase, infraorbital canalInfraorbital canal One of the canals of the orbital surface of the maxilla, the infraorbital canal, opens just below the margin of the orbit.... ovoid shape and does not extend ventrally to the roof of the palatePalate The palate is the roof of the mouth in humans and vertebrate animals.... , zygomaticZygomatic Zygomatic can refer to:* Zygomatic bone... plate absent or much reduced, nasolacrimal canal inside infraorbital canalInfraorbital canal One of the canals of the orbital surface of the maxilla, the infraorbital canal, opens just below the margin of the orbit.... , incisive foraminaIncisive foramen When the two maxillæ are articulated, a funnel-shaped opening, the incisive foramen, is seen in the middle line, immediately... small to medium-sized, extensive neck musculature and prominent points of attachment on the occipitum, minimal reduction in M3 relative to M1 and M2, and a distinct orientation of the manubrium of the malleusMalleus The malleus or hammer is a hammer-shaped small bone or ossicle of the middle ear which connects with the incus and is ... bone." Classification The Spalacids are classified in three subfamilies, six generaGenus Summary In the binomial nomenclature used worldwide, the name of an organism is composed of two parts: its genus name and a species... , and 30 speciesSpecies In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity.... . Family: Spalacidae Subfamily Myospalacinae, Subfamily RhizomyinaeRhizomyinae The subfamily Rhizomyinae of rodents includes the Asian bamboo rats and certain of the African mole rats.... , Subfamily Spalacinae,