Sigmodontinae 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 sigmodontines or New World rats and mice and include grass mice and rice rats. They are found in South America and southern North America, primarily in forests, shrublands, and grasslands, though some species can be found in rocky areas and wetlands. They range in size from the small vesper mouse, at 5 cm (2 in) plus a 4 cm (2 in) tail, to the Magdalena water rat, at 29 cm (11 in) plus a 27 cm (11 in) tail. Sigmodontines generally eat vegetation, seeds, and insects, though some also eat fungi, crustaceans, or small fish. No sigmodontines have population estimates, but thirteen species are categorized as endangered, and two species—the fossorial giant rat and Zuniga's dark rice rat—are categorized as critically endangered. Ten species, including the genera Megalomys, Megaoryzomys, and Noronhomys, were driven extinct after 1500 due to the European colonization of the Americas and introduction of non-native rats, with some species surviving until the 1900s. The 385 extant species of Sigmodontinae are divided into 84 genera, ranging in size from 1 to 42 species. Several extinct prehistoric sigmodontine species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries, the exact number and categorization are 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 sigmodontine's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species, subspecies, or genera listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol: "†".
Classification Sigmodontinae is a subfamily of the rodent family Cricetidae consisting of 385 extant species in 84 genera. These genera range in size from 1 to 42 species. Additionally, ten species, including the genera Megalomys, Megaoryzomys, and Noronhomys, were driven extinct after 1500 due to the European colonization of the Americas and introduction of non-native rats, with some species surviving until the 1900s. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.
Sigmodontines 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.
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