You have probably wondered what squirrel families are. The most famous are the Sciuridae and Myomorpha, but did you know there are also castorimorpha? The answer to this question is pretty simple: squirrels belong to the same family as rats and mice. Besides being very cute and adorable, squirrels also make great pets. Find out what makes them such wonderful animals in our national parks. They are a great addition to any #FindYourPark adventure.
Table of Contents
Sciuridae
Squirrels are members of the Sciuridae family and are small to medium-sized rodents native to North America and Eurasia. They come in several different types including ground squirrels, flying squirrels, and tree-climbing types. This article provides a quick overview of this family and how it differs from other rodents. To learn more about squirrels, read on.
There are several subspecies of tree squirrels. The most widely distributed of these squirrels is the eastern grey squirrel. This squirrel has a pelage of grey, although black-colored animals may be dominant in many eastern populations. It lives in temperate angiosperm and mixed conifer-hardwood forests, and has adapted to urban areas as well. In recent years, however, this species has become more common in urban areas.
Sciuromorpha
Squirrels are members of the order Rodentia, and are classified into three families, the Sciuridae, Myomorpha, and Castorimorpha. The suborder Sciuridae includes squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and other rodents. However, this family structure is in flux, with some recent molecular evidence questioning the validity of certain genera and subfamilies, including the Grey and Red squirrels.
In fact, despite their arboreal habits, all sciuromorph families share many anatomical traits, including a tail with a slender shape. They all lack zygapophyseal articulation and their tails are short, only about 30% of their body-to-head length. Consequently, sciuromorphs differ in the position of their tails compared to arboreal primates and carnivorans.
Myomorpha
The Myomorpha are squirrels, a suborder of the rodents. This order is divided into several suborders. There are three families within this order, Sciuridae, Aplodontiidae, and Gliridae. Each of these suborders is not particularly related to the Myomorpha, but there have been several attempts to link these two families.
The term “rodent” comes from the Latin verb ‘rodere,’ which means to ‘rod’. Although there are many differences between rodents, most of them have a similar dental formula. The incisors are prominent and grow throughout their lives, while the cheek teeth are anelodont. The enamel of most rodents is white, although some species have orange or yellow teeth. The crowns of mandibular incisors are longer than those of their counterparts in the maxilla. They are mistaken for overgrown teeth.
Castorimorpha
The classification of rodents is based on jaw muscle morphology, and the squirrel-related clade consists of five major suborders: Sciuromorpha, Myomorpha, Castorimorpha, and Anomaluromorpha. Some subfamilies, such as Geomyoidea, are marginally significant, but the subfamily of Castorimorpha contains the capybara.
The Grey and Red squirrel families are two distinct subspecies. The Grey squirrel was first described in 1788 by Johann Friedrich Gmelin, and is the type species of this species. While this name is commonly used to refer to all tree squirrels in North America, it is not widely known if it is the same species as the Red squirrel. However, the two species are considered to be distinct enough to warrant their own private genus.
Hystricomorpha
The Sciuromorpha are a group of rodent families characterized by a unique morphology and masticatory apparatus, optimized for gnawing hard objects. The Sciuromorpha include some of the best-known species of rodents that specialize in hard-object consumption. Sciuromorphy occurred twice, independently in the geomyoids and castorimorphs. The first Sciuromorph, Douglassciurus jeffersoni, has a protrogomorph zygomasseteric configuration, distinct from the later sciuromorphs.
The suborder Sciuromorpha includes three groups of rodents: the squirrel, rat, and porcupine. The domestic guinea pig is a New World hystricomorph rodent. Its species is related to the Caviidae. DNA sequencing, however, has cast doubt on the traditional phylogenetic position of the guinea pig. While DNA sequencing has proven the species’ similarity to the other families of Sciuromorpha, further research is required to determine the pig’s true position in the phylogenetic relationships.
Anomaluromorpha
The Anomaluromorpha are small, furry mammals of the squirrel family Anomaluromorpha. This family consists of four genera and nine species. They nest in tree cavities and eat a variety of plants and animal matter, including seeds and fruit. These mammals also lick tree sap and gnaw on the bark of trees. The largest species also eat termites. They are also known to feed on oil palm pulp and flowers.
Anomaluromorpha are closely related to flying squirrels, but they do not have the same features as sciurids. Despite their similarity in appearance, they are unrelated to flying squirrels. The difference in size is due to their specialized diets, which are similar to those of other species. Some species have a long tail and are capable of gliding through trees.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
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