Deomyinae

Egyptian spiny mouse ( Acomys cahirinus )

The Deomyinae are a subfamily of the long-tailed mice ( Muridae ) with about 42 species in four genera.

There are external mouse -like animals with a snout-vent length from seven to 18 centimeters. The coat of most species is long and dense, its color varies from yellowish ÜThe reddish- brown to gray- black. Some species have the dorsal spines.

Deomyinae live in Africa, western Asia to Pakistan and on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Crete. Their habitat is variable, ranging from deserts to dense forests.

Most species are ground dwellers, depending on the type, they can be day, crepuscular or nocturnal. Unusual for rodents is their diet: often they eat mainly insects and even small vertebrates, but often also take herbal diet that.

The Deomyinae include four genera:

• Congo forest mouse ( Deomys ferrugineus )
• Spiny mice ( Acomys ), about 20 species
• Brush hair mouse ( Lophuromys ), about 20 species
• White-bellied Brush hair mouse ( Uranomys Ruddi )

During the last genanntenen three genera were recognized for some time as closely related and were sometimes grouped together as Acomyinae, the Congo forest mouse was often in the tree mice ( Dendromurinae ) incorporated or managed as a separate subfamily Deomyinae. Molecular genetic studies have confirmed the relationship between these four genera. Unique morphological similarities do not exist.