Myomimus

Mouse sleepers ( Myomimus ) is a mammal genus in the family dormice with 3 types.

Unlike other Bilchen which have a bushy tail, the tail of this species is only sparsely hairy, which they resemble mice.

Very little is known about the life of the mouse sleeper. Specimens have been found in such diverse habitats as forests, grasslands, bush, farmland and rocky mountain ranges. The food varies between animal and vegetable substances.

The species are:

• Myomimus personatus, lives in the mountains of north-eastern Iran, southern Kazakhstan and western Afghanistan.
• Mouse sleepers ( Myomimus roachi ), inhabits the southeastern Balkan peninsula and northwestern Turkey.
• Myomimus setzeri, occurs in the mountains of eastern Turkey, South Armenia and northwestern Iran.

By M. personatus and M. setzeri so far only about 10 copies each were found and therefore the species by the IUCN with insufficient data (Data Deficient ) are listed. Also the mouse sleeper is rare, so no individuals were sighted in the last 5 years. The species is listed as threatened ( Vulnerable ).

Genetic studies indicate that the mouse sleepers are the sister group of a clade from tree sleepers ( Dryomys ) and garden dormouse ( Eliomys ).