Murinae

Wood mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus )

The Altweltmäuse ( Murinae ) are a subfamily of the long-tailed mice ( Muridae ). This group species are counted at 600, the best known genera are the mice ( Mus) and rats ( Rattus).

Features

Altweltmäuse vary considerably in their appearance. While the giant Borken rats and the giant tree rats a body length of up to 48 centimeters - with an almost equally long tail - can reach and a weight of 1.5 to 2 kg, the dwarf mouse only reached a maximum of 7.5 cm body length and a weight of 5 to 7 grams. The coat color and consistency, the tail length and the body differ considerably depending on lifestyle. The two front teeth are reshaped as with all rodents to rodent teeth, behind a gaping known as diastema gap. Canines and premolars are missing constantly, and each half of the jaw they have no more than three molars, but sometimes only one or two. The front legs carrying four provided with claw toe, the thumb is equipped with a nail and very small. The hind feet have five usually provided with claw toes.

Distribution and habitat

The natural range of Altweltmäuse includes Eurasia, Africa and Australia. Thus, they are the only land-based higher mammals that were native before human settlement in Australia and New Guinea. You have colonized these countries even in two radiations, on the one hand, the rats and the second the Hydromyini. The greatest diversity prevails in the tropical regions of Africa, Southeast Asia and New Guinea.

In the Americas, there is inherently no Altweltmäuse - they are represented there by the New world. Three species, the house mouse, black rat and the brown rat have now reached a worldwide distribution in the wake of man. Also some other culture following types have been able to expand their living space.

Altweltmäuse inhabit a variety of habitats, they are also found in forests as in savannas and grasslands in mountainous areas and in arid areas.

Way of life

Also in relation to the way of life there is a great variety. Thus, besides soil dwellers also arboreal species, in addition to diurnal and nocturnal and solitary in addition also species that live in large groups.

The food also varies, but many species are predominantly herbivorous, feeding on grasses, seeds, tubers and other plant material. Some species also eat or almost exclusively insects and other small animals, or even small vertebrates.

The propagation of Altweltmäuse is generally characterized by high fertility, a short gestation and low life expectancy.

System

The Altweltmäuse include nearly 600 species in about 130 genera. Also, due to the large number of taxa, the internal system is still largely unexplained.

After Carleton & Musser

Carleton & Musser (2005) divide it into 30 species groups ( divisions ) which are reproduced here in alphabetical order:

• Aethomys Group - 11 species in Africa African bush rats ( Aethomys ): 9 species
• Micaelamys: 2 species

• Wood mice ( Apodemus ): 20 species
• Rhagamys orthodontic †
• Ryukyu spiny rats ( Tokudaia ): 3 species

• Kusuratten ( Arvicanthis ): 7 species
• Harrington rats ( Desmomys ): 2 species
• Grass strips mice ( Lemniscomys ): 11 species
• African furrows tooth rats ( Mylomys ): 2 species
• Furrows tooth -Bach rats ( Pelomys ): 5 types
• African welts grass mice ( Rhabdomys ): 2 species

• Apomys: 10 species
• Archboldomys: 3 types
• Luzon Strip rats ( Chrotomys ): 5 types
• Nose rats ( Rhynchomys ): 2 species

• African water rat ( Colomys goslingi )
• Ethiopian water mouse ( Nilopegamys plumbeus )
• Breitkopf mice ( Zelotomys ): 2 species

• Shrew rats ( Crunomys ): 4 Types
• Somme Romys macro rhinos

• Mindoro Rat ( Anonymomys mindorensis )
• Fea - tree rat ( Chiromyscus chiropus )
• Millard Rat ( Dacnomys millardi )
• Long-tailed giant rat ( Leopoldamys ): 6 species
• White-bellied rats ( Niviventer ): 17 species
• Saxatilomys Paulinae
• Sri Lanka rat ( Srilankamys ohiensis ) (will today put more in the Rattus group)
• Tonkinomys daovantieni

• Shaggy swamp rats ( Dasymys ): 9 species

• Sulawesi spiny rats ( Echiothrix ): 2 species

• Coffee rat ( Golunda ellioti )

• Hadromys: 2 species

• Defua rats ( Dephomys ): 2 species
• Strip mice ( Hybomys ): 6 species
• Target rat ( Stochomys longicaudatus )

• Baiyankamys: 2 species
• Monckton swimming rat ( Crossomys monctoni )
• Swimming rats ( Hydromys ): 4 Types
• Microhydromys: 2 species
• Mountain Swimming Rat ( Parahydromys asper )
• Guinea - mountain water rats ( Paraleptomys ): 2 species

• Guinea jerboa ( Lorentzimys nouhuysi )

• Big-eared Swamp Rat ( Malacomys ): 3 species

• Rajah rats ( Maxomys ): 17 species

• Small Sulawesi Shrew Rat ( Melasmothrix naso )
• Large Sulawesi Shrew Rat ( Tateomys ): 2 species

• Brush -tailed tree mice ( Chiropodomys ): 6 species
• Dwarf tree mice ( Haeromys ): 3 species
• Asian climbing rats ( Hapalomys ): 2 species
• Harvest Mouse ( Micromys minutus)
• Long-tailed Climbing Mouse ( Vandeleuria ): 3 species
• Vernay - climbing mouse ( Vernaya fulva )

• Indian Rocks rats ( Cremnomys ): 2 species
• Crump mouse ( Diomys crumpi )
• Blanford Rat ( Madromys blanfordi )
• Asian soft rats ( Millardia ): 4 Types

• Ethiopian strips mouse ( Muriculus imberbis )
• Mice ( Mus): 39 species

• Canary giant rats ( Canariomys ): 2 species †
• Acacia mice ( Grammomys ): 12 species
• Oku- rat ( Lamottemys okuensis )
• Canary Lavamaus ( Malpaisomys insularis ) †
• Rotnasenratten ( Oenomys ): 2 species
• Acacia rats ( Thallomys ): 4 Types
• Thicket rats ( Thamnomys ): 3 species

• Myotomys: 2 species
• Lamellar tooth rats ( Otomys ): 19 species
• Karru rats ( Parotomys ): 2 species

• Philippines - hair tail rats ( Batomys ): 4 Types
• Luzon Tree Rat ( Carpomys ): 2 species
• Borken climbers ( Crateromys ): 4 Types
• Borken giant rats ( Phloeomys ): 2 species

• Sulawesi soft rat ( Eropeplus canus)
• Clover tooth giant rat ( Lenomys meyeri )
• Grey Tree Rat ( Lenothrix canus)
• Margareta rats ( Margaretamys ): 3 species
• Affenfußratten ( Pithecheir ): 2 species
• Otion Pithecheirops

• Abeomelomys Sevia
• Squirrel Tooth Rat ( Anisomys imitator )
• Chiruromys: 3 types
• Coccymys: 2 species
• Coryphomys buehleri ​​†
• White Ear giant rats ( Hyomys ): 2 species
• Guinea - tooth small rats ( Macruromys ): 2 species
• Giant tree rats ( Mallomys ): 4 Types
• Mammelomys: 2 species
• Pogonomelomys: 2 species
• Prehensile tail rats ( Pogonomys ): 5 types
• Flores Cave Rat ( Spelaeomys florensis ) †
• Guinea - white-tailed rat ( Xenuromys barbatus)

• Australian Rabbits Rats ( Conilurus ) 2 species (including 1 †)
• Leggadina: 2 species
• Australian Bunny rats ( Leporillus ): 2 species (of which maybe 1 †)
• Australian wide-tooth rat ( Mastacomys fuscus )
• Australian tree rats ( Mesembriomys ): 2 species
• Australian Hüpfmäuse ( Notomys ): 9 styles (including 4 †)
• Australian mice ( Pseudomys ): 24 species
• Australian thick cock rats ( Zyzomys ): 5 types

• Luzon - wide-tooth rat ( Abditomys latidens )
• Bandikutratten ( Bandicota ): 3 species
• White toothed rats ( Berylmys ): 4 Types
• Philippines Moss mice ( Bullimus ): 3 species
• Sulawesi mountain rats ( Bunomys ): 6 species
• Ryukyu rat ( Diplothrix legata )
• Sody Tree Rat ( Kadarsanomys sodyi )
• Komodo Rat ( Komodomys rintjanus )
• Limnomys: 2 species
• Pestratten ( Nesokia ): 2 species
• Seram Rat ( Nesoromys CERAMICUS )
• Palawan Rat ( Palawanomys Furvus )
• Flores giant rat ( Papagomys ): 2 species (including 1 †)
• Sulawesi giant rat ( Paruromys dominator )
• Flores Long Nose Rat ( Paulamys naso )
• Rats ( Rattus): 66 species (including 2 †)
• Sunda giant rats ( Sundamys ): 3 species
• Taeromys: 7 species
• Tarsomys: 2 species
• Mearns - Luzonratte ( Tryphomys adustus )

• African smoke mouse ( Heimyscus fumosus )
• African wood mice ( Hylomyscus ): 8 species
• Mastomys ( Mastomys ): 8 species
• Myomyscus: 4 types (formerly Myomys )
• African Soft rats ( Praomys ): 16 species
• Ethiopian short head rats ( Stenocephalemys ): 4 Types

• Mosaic tail rats ( Melomys ): 23 species
• Paramelomys: 9 species
• Protochromys fellowsi
• Naked-tailed rat ( Solomys ): 5 species (including 1 †)
• Mosaic -tailed giant rat ( Uromys ): 10 species ( of which 3 may †)

• Guinea - water rats ( Leptomys ): 3 species
• Pseudohydromys: 4 species (including Mayermys and Neohydromys )
• Incorrect swimming rat ( Xeromys myoides )

After Lecompte et al.

Lecompte et al. (2008) divided according to genetic studies, the Altweltmäuse in 10 Tribus:

• The Phloemyini correspond to the Phloeomys group of Carleton and Musser. It is a primitive, living in the Philippines Radiation, which is the sister group of all other Altweltmäuse.
• The Rattini are a common in Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia Group, which is named after the rats. This tribe comprises roughly the Crunomys, Dacnomys, Maxomys, Melasmothrix, Micromys and the Rattus group from the list above. The Eurasian Harvest Mouse takes within the Rattini a basal position and is the sister taxon of all species studied. Fabre and colleagues found in the first description of a monophyletic clade of Indo-Pacific Halmaheramys bokimekot genera within the Rattini consisting of Bullimus, Bunomys, Halmaheramys, Paruromys, Sundamys and Taeromys.
• The Hydromyini are also widespread in Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia, and thus the second group in addition to the rats that could colonize Australia. This tribe includes simplifying the Chrotomys, Hydromys, Lorentzimys, Pogonomys, Pseudomys, Uromys and the Xeromys group from the list above.
• Murine comprise the only genus of the mice thus form a separate tribe.
• The Praomyini represent an African Radiation, this tribe includes animals from the Colomys and the Stenocephalemys group.
• The Malacomyini are composed only of the African Big-eared Swamp Rat ( Malacomys ), which already occupy an isolated position at Carleton & Musser.
• The Apodemini form a Eurasian tribes. They are composed as the Apodemus group.
• The Millardini include both studied genera of Millardia group Millardia and Cremnomys, and thus form a predominantly widespread in India group.
• The Otomyini include the previously operated as Otomyinae as an independent subfamily lamellar tooth rats and relatives whose affiliation is now genetically fused to the Altweltmäusen.
• The Arvicanthini form a predominantly widespread in Africa tribes. They are composed of species of Aethomys, the Arvicanthis, the Dasymys, the Golunda, the Hybomys and Oenomys group.

A possible cladogram of Altweltmäuse by Lecompte et al. looks like this:

Rattini

Hydromyini

Murini

Praomyini

Malacomyini

Apodemini

Millardini

Otomyini

Arvicanthini

Phloeomyini