Muridae
Muridae is the largest family of mammals. It contains over 700 species. These species can be found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. They have been introduced worldwide. The group includes true mice and rats, gerbils, and relatives.
| Murids Temporal range:
early Miocene – Recent | |
|---|---|
| |
| Black rat (Rattus rattus) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Superfamily: | Muroidea |
| Family: | Muridae |
| Subfamilies | |
The family name Muridae is sometimes used in a broader sense to include all members of the superfamily Muroidea.
The Murids are classified in four subfamilies, and about 140 genera.
Subfamilies
- Deomyinae (spiny mice, brush furred mice, link rat)
- Gerbillinae (gerbils, jirds and sand rats)
- Leimacomyinae (Togo mouse)
- Lophiomyinae (Crested rat)
- Murinae (Old World rats and mice including the vlei rats)
Muridae Media
A print showing cats and mice from a 1501 German edition of Aesop's fables
Sources
- Jansa S.A. and M. Weksler. 2004. Phylogeny of muroid rodents: relationships within and among major lineages as determined by IRBP gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:256-276.
- Michaux J. A. Reyes, and F. Catzeflis. 2001. Evolutionary history of the most speciose mammals: molecular phylogeny of muroid rodents. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 17:280-293.
- Steppan S.J; R.A. Adkins and J. Anderson. 2004. Phylogeny and divergence date estimates of rapid radiations in muroid rodents based on multiple nuclear genes. Systematic Biology, 53:533-553.
- Muridae on ITIS