Neotominae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids NeotominesTemporal range: Late Miocene - Recent
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| Peromyscus maniculatus | |
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Neotominae
Merriam, 1894
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Baiomyini |
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The Neotominae are a group of small, furry animals. They are a "subfamily" of the Cricetidae family. Think of a subfamily as a smaller group within a larger animal family. Most of these animals are found in North America.
This group includes many different kinds of New World rats and mice. Some well-known members are the deer mice, white-footed mice, and packrats. You might also know the grasshopper mice. Neotomines are related to other New World mouse subfamilies, like the Sigmodontinae.
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Meet the Neotomines: Their Family Tree
Scientists group animals into different levels to show how they are related. The Neotominae subfamily is divided into smaller groups called "tribes." Each tribe then contains different "genera" (plural of genus), which are groups of very similar animals. Inside each genus are different "species," which are specific types of animals.
Here are the tribes and some of the cool animals you can find in each:
Baiomyini Tribe
This tribe includes:
- Baiomys - These are known as Pygmy Mice. They are very small!
- Scotinomys - These are called Brown Mice.
Neotomini Tribe
This tribe is home to:
- Neotoma - These are the famous Pack Rats, known for collecting shiny objects.
- Xenomys - This is the Magdalena Rat.
- Hodomys - This is Allen's Woodrat.
- Nelsonia - Another type of rat.
Ochrotomyini Tribe
This tribe has only one genus:
- Ochrotomys - This is the beautiful Golden Mouse.
Peromyscini Tribe
This is a large tribe with many well-known mice:
- Peromyscus - These are the common Deer Mice.
- Reithrodontomys - These are the New World Harvest Mice.
- Onychomys - These are the amazing Grasshopper Mice, which actually eat insects!
- Neotomodon - This is the Mexican Volcano Mouse.
- Podomys - This is the Florida Mouse.
- Isthmomys - These are called Isthmus Rats.
- Megadontomys - These are Giant Deer Mice.
- Habromys - Another type of mouse.
- Osgoodomys - This is the Michoacan Deer Mouse.
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