Rodentia is an order of placental mammals. Members of this order are called rodents. The order comprises 2,360 extant species, which are grouped into 511 genera. The largest order of mammals, rodents comprise about 40% of all mammal species worldwide. They are native to all major land masses except for Antarctica, and can be found worldwide. They live in a variety of habitats, particularly forests, grasslands, and shrublands, but also savannas, wetlands, deserts, and rocky areas. Most rodents are small animals with robust bodies, short limbs, and long tails. They range in length from the African pygmy mouse, at 4 cm (2 in) plus a 2 cm (1 in) tail, to the capybara, at 134 cm (53 in) plus a 2 cm (1 in) tail. Rodentia is divided into five suborders: Anomaluromorpha, Castorimorpha, Hystricomorpha, Myomorpha, and Sciuromorpha. The suborders are further subdivided into clades and families. Anomaluromorpha contains two families, the scaly-tailed squirrels and the springhares. Castorimorpha contains three families and includes beavers, gophers, kangaroo rats, and pocket mice. Hystricomorpha contains 18 families and includes mole-rats, porcupines, cavies, hutias, tuco-tucos, and Neotropical spiny rats. Myomorpha contains nine families and includes jerboas, hamsters, voles, and a wide variety of rats and mice. Sciuromorpha contains three families and includes squirrels, chipmunks, and dormice. The exact organization of the species is not fixed, with many recent proposals made based on molecular phylogenetic analysis. In addition to the extant rodents, 38 species have been driven extinct since 1500 CE.
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. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the collective range of species in that genera is provided. Ranges are based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species unless otherwise noted. All extinct genera or species listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".
Classification The order Rodentia consists of 2,360 extant species belonging to 511 genera. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species. Modern molecular studies indicate that the 511 genera can be grouped into 35 families; these families are divided between 5 named suborders and are grouped in those suborders into named clades, and some of these families are subdivided into named subfamilies. An additional 38 species have been driven extinct since 1500 CE: 8 in the family Capromyidae, 6 in Echimyidae, 11 in Cricetidae, and 13 in Muridae.
Rodents The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by 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.
Suborder Anomaluromorpha
Family Anomaluridae Members of the Anomaluridae family are called anomalurids or scaly-tailed squirrels. They eat a variety of vegetation, and some also eat insects. Anomaluridae comprises seven extant species, divided into three genera.
Family Pedetidae Members of the Pedetidae family are called pedetids or springhares. They eat bulbs and roots, as well as stems and grain. Pedetidae comprises two extant species in a single genus.
Suborder Castorimorpha
Superfamily Castoroidea
Family Castoridae Members of the Castoridae family are called castorids or beavers. They eat woody and aquatic plants. Castoridae comprises two extant species in a single genus.
Superfamily Geomyoidea
Family Geomyidae
Members of the Geomyidae family are called geomyids, pocket gophers, or gophers. They primarily eat roots, bulbs, and rhizomes, as well as other vegetation. Geomyidae comprises 36 extant species in 7 genera.
Family Heteromyidae
Members of the Heteromyidae family are called heteromyids and include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, pocket mice, and spiny pocket mice. They primarily eat seeds, leaves, and other vegetation, as well as grain and insects. Heteromyidae comprises 63 extant species in 5 genera. These genera are divided between three subfamilies: Dipodomyinae, containing the kangaroo rats and kangaroo mice; Heteromyinae, or the spiny pocket mice; and Perognathinae, or the pocket mice.
Suborder Hystricomorpha
Parvorder Caviomorpha
Superfamily Cavioidea
Family Caviidae
Members of the Caviidae family are called caviids and include guinea pigs, cavies, maras, and capybaras. They are herbivores and eat a wide variety of vegetation, primarily grass and leaves. Caviidae comprises 21 extant species which are divided into 6 genera in 3 subfamilies: Caviinae, containing the guinea pigs and cavies; Dolichotinae, containing the maras; and Hydrochoerinae, containing rock cavies and capybaras.
Family Cuniculidae Members of the Cuniculidae family are called cuniculids or pacas. It contains two species, which eat leaves, stems, roots, seeds, and fruit.
Family Dasyproctidae
Members of the Dasyproctidae family are called dasyproctids and include agoutis and acouchis. They are herbivores and primarily eat fruit, vegetables, and succulent plants. Caviidae comprises fifteen extant species which are divided into two genera.
Superfamily Chinchilloidea
Family Chinchillidae Members of the Chinchillidae family are called chinchillids and contain chinchillas and viscachas. They are herbivores and eat grass and seeds, as well as other vegetation. Chinchillidae comprises six extant species which are divided into three genera, as well as a single extinct species.
Family Dinomyidae Members of the Dinomyidae family are called dinomyids. It contains a single species, which eats fruit, leaves, and stems.
Superfamily Erethizontoidea
Family Erethizontidae
Members of the Erethizontidae family are called erethizontids or New World porcupines. They are herbivores and primarily eat leaves, stems, fruit, flowers, and roots. Erethizontidae comprises eighteen extant species in three genera, grouped into two subfamilies: Chaetomyinae, containing a single species, and Erethizontinae, containing the other seventeen.
Superfamily Octodontoidea
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