<p>Slide 1 Order RODENTIA A. More than 426 genera, 2010+ species</p><p>Slide 2. Rodents A. Nearly cosmopolitan in distribution B. Exploit a broad variety of foods and habitats</p><p>Slide 3. Why so successful? A. High fecundity B. high population densities C. Rapid population turnover D. Usual small size E. Highly efficient jaws and dentition F. Repeated adaptive radiations </p><p>Slide 4. Order RODENTIA A. Characters a. single pair of curved, evergrowing incisors with enamel restricted to the anterior face b. long diastema </p><p>Slide 5. Dental division of labor A. Incisors</p><p>B. Cheek teeth</p><p>Slide 6. Skull Types</p><p>Slide 7. Jaw Musculature</p><p>Slide 8. Protrogomorphous</p><p>Slide 9. Sciuromorphous</p><p>Slide 10. Hystricomorphous</p><p>Slide 11. Myomorphous</p><p>Slide 12. Jaw Angle A. Sciurognathous</p><p>B. Hystricognathous</p><p>Slide 13. Dentitions Slide 14. Family APLODONTIDAE A. Endemic to western North America</p><p>B. Only protrogomorphous extant rodent.</p><p>Slide 15. Aplodontia rufa</p><p>Slide 16. Family SCIURIDAE A. Cosmopolitan except Australian, Madagascar B. 50 genera; 273 species C. Sciuromorphous</p><p>Slide 17: Pictures of Sciuridae</p><p>Slide 18. ‘Flying’ squirrels A. glissant</p><p>Slide 19 Ground squirrels A. semifossorial </p><p>Slide 20. Bernoulli Goes Underground A. Prairie dog warrens</p><p>B. Bernoulli’s principle a. higher places are windier</p><p> b. atmospheric pressure is reduced</p><p>Slide 21. Family CASTORIDAE A. Holarctic: 2 species. B. Sciuromorphous, sciurognathus.</p><p>Slide 22. Castoridae A. Large size, reach 30+ kg. B. Tail Slapping</p><p>Slide 23. Semiaquatic Adaptations A. fine, dense underfur B. hind feet webbed C. nictating membrane D. valvular nostrils and ears. E. epiglottis is above the soft palate</p><p>Slide 24. Behavior A. social and family-oriented</p><p>B. monogamous </p><p>Slide 25. Castor gland</p><p>Slide 26. Environmental Modification A. Beaver ponds and lodges</p><p>Slide 27. Beaver ponds A. Modify environment B. Form extensive wetlands C. Etc. Slide 28. Keystone Species A. Increase biodiversity</p><p>B. Positive effects</p><p>C. Negative effects</p><p>Slide 29. Conservation</p><p>Slide 30. Castoroides</p><p>Slide 31. Family GEOMYIDAE A. Nearctic, Neotropical (northern Columbia) B. 5 genera, 35 species C. Sciuromorphous D. external, furred cheekpouches</p><p>Slide 32 Family Geomyidae A. fossorial adaptations and diet</p><p>Slide 33. Family HETEROMYIDAE A. Nearctic and northern Neotropical (Columbia, Venezuela) B. Sciuromorphous C. external, furred cheekpouches D. granivores</p><p>Slide 34. Xeric adaptations 1.</p><p>2.</p><p>3.</p><p>4.</p><p>5.</p><p>Slide 35. Dipodomys</p><p>Slide 36. Family MURIDAE 1. Cosmopolitan 2. family constitutes 66% of all rodents 3. >1/4 of all mammal species 4. 281 genera, 1325 species 5. myomorphous</p><p>Slide 37. Systematics A. 17 subfamilies, including a. Murinae b. Sigmodontinae c. Arvicolinae Slide 38. Subfamily Murinae A. Old World rats and mice B. 117+ genera, 529+ species C. Palearctic, Oriental, Ethiopian, Oceanic</p><p>Slide 39. Negative Impact</p><p>Slide 40. Positive Impact</p><p>Slide 41. Subfamily Sigmodontinae A. New World rats and mice. B. 73+ genera, 422+ species. C. 85% of species are South American.</p><p>Slide 42. Sigmodontinae A. Peromyscines</p><p>B. Sigmodontines</p><p>Slide 43. Subfamily Arvicolinae A. voles, lemmings, and muskrats B. Holarctic grazers</p><p>Slide 44. Population cycles</p><p>Slide 45. Why cycling lemmings crash – John Whitfield</p><p>Slide 46. Why cycling lemmings crash – John Whitfield</p><p>Slide 47. The Far Side: Lemming Migration</p><p>Slide 48. Hystricognathi A. hystricognathous B. K-selected C. Highly specialized: small litter size (1 - 2); mostly precocious young (hairy and eyes open at birth D. Distribution</p><p>Slide 49 Family HYDROCHOERIDAE</p><p>Slide 50. Hydrochoerus A. Largest living rodent (up to 65 kg). B. Ecomorph of pygmy hippopotamus C. Hunted for meat and their hide.</p><p>Slide 51. Family Caviidae A. grasslands and savannas of South America B. Patagonian hare: Slide 52. Family MYOCASTRORIDAE</p><p>Slide 53. Myocastoridae A. Introduced as furbearer and for aquatic weed control into North America and Europe</p><p>B. Federal and local nutria control programs </p><p>Slide 54. Family Agoutidae A. pacas </p><p>Slide 55. Agoutidae A. expanded zygomatic arches may be resonating chambers to amplify sounds. </p><p>Slide 56. Convergent evolution in porcupines A. Hystricidae</p><p>B. Erethizontidae</p><p>Slide 57. Dinomyidae A. Phoberomys pattersoni, a 680-kilogram rodent that roamed South America eight million years ago. </p><p>Slide 58. Pedetidae A. Springhaas or Cape jumping hare</p><p>Slide 59. Bathyergidae A. African mole-rats B. Fossorial</p><p>Slide 60. Heterocephalus the naked mole rat</p><p>Slide 61. Heterocephalus and Cryptomys A. colonial, up to 40 individuals B. Inhabit hot, dry environments: dig extensive burrows to find food C. Eusocial</p><p>Slide 62 EUSOCIALITY in Heterocephalus Slide 63. Order LAGOMORPHA A. 13 genera, 80 species B. Family Ochotonidae C. Family Leporidae</p><p>Slide 64. Lagomorpha A. distribution is nearly worldwide. B. Introduced to Australia</p><p>Slide 65. Attempt to control Australian rabbits A. Myxomatosis</p><p>Slide 66. Distinguishing between leporids and rodents</p><p>Slide 67. Skull and dentition A. Two upper incisors B. fenestration</p><p>Slide 68. Family Ochotonidae - pikas A. 2 genera, 26 species B. Not cursorial </p><p>Slide 69. Pika behavior.</p><p>Slide 70. Family Leporidae A. Hares and rabbits B. 11 genera, 54 species C. Diverse habitats</p><p>Slide 71. Ecology & behaviour A. cursoriality</p><p>Slide 72. Reproduction A. polyestrous</p><p>B. Altricial</p><p>C. Precocial</p><p>Slide 73. Diet A. coprophagy</p><p>Sllide 74. Family Leporidae A. Seem to occupy a niche as miniature ungulates, B. Competition with ungulates may have hindered diversification</p>