White-tailed Rat
Encyclopedia
The white-tailed rat, Mystromys albicaudatus, also known as the white-tailed mouse, is the only member of the subfamily Mystromyinae in the family Nesomyidae
. This species is sometimes placed in the subfamily Cricetinae due to similarities in appearance between the white-tailed rat and hamster
s, but molecular phylogenetic
studies have confirmed that the two groups are not closely related. The subfamily Mystromyinae is sometimes placed within the family Muridae
along with all other subfamilies of muroids
.
The white-tailed rat is restricted to savanna
s and grasslands of South Africa
and Swaziland
. They tend to inhabit burrows of meerkat
s and cracks in the soil during the day and venture out at night. They eat vegetable matter such as seeds and have been known to take insects. Unlike hamster
s, white-tailed rats do not have cheek pouches.
Nesomyidae
Nesomyidae is a family of African rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to Madagascar...
. This species is sometimes placed in the subfamily Cricetinae due to similarities in appearance between the white-tailed rat and hamster
Hamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
s, but molecular phylogenetic
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
studies have confirmed that the two groups are not closely related. The subfamily Mystromyinae is sometimes placed within the family Muridae
Muridae
Muridae is the largest family of mammals. It contains over 600 species found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. They have been introduced worldwide. The group includes true mice and rats, gerbils, and relatives....
along with all other subfamilies of muroids
Muroidea
Muroidea is a large superfamily of rodents. It includes hamsters, gerbils, true mice and rats, and many other relatives. They occupy a vast variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Some authorities have placed all members of this group into a single family, Muridae, due to...
.
The white-tailed rat is restricted to savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
s and grasslands of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. They tend to inhabit burrows of meerkat
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
s and cracks in the soil during the day and venture out at night. They eat vegetable matter such as seeds and have been known to take insects. Unlike hamster
Hamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
s, white-tailed rats do not have cheek pouches.