Heteromyidae

The family of rodents that include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice and rock pocket mice is the Heteromyidae family. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows in the deserts and grasslands of western North America. Some species within the Heteromys and Liomys genera are also found in forests and can be found down as far as northern South America. They feed mostly on seeds and other plant parts, which they carry in their cheek pouches to their burrows.

Heteromyids Temporal range: Early Miocene–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Superfamily:	Geomyoidea
Family:	Heteromyidae Gray, 1868
Subfamilies
Dipodomyinae Heteromyinae Perognathinae

Although they are very different in physical appearance, the closest relatives of the heteromyids are pocket gophers in the Geomyidae family.

Taxonomy

• Family Heteromyidae
  • Subfamily Heteromyinae
    • Genus Heteromys
    • Genus Liomys
  • Subfamily Dipodomyinae - Kangaroo rats and mice
    • Genus Dipodomys - Kangaroo rat
    • Genus Microdipodops - Kangaroo mouse
  • Subfamily Perognathinae - Pocket mice
    • Genus Perognathus - Silky pocket mouse
    • Genus Chaetodipus - Pocket mouse (uncertain where to put it)

References

• Alexander, L. F. and B. R. Riddle. 2005. Phylogenetics of the New World rodent family Heteromyidae. Journal of Mammalogy, 86:399-379.

Other websites

• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Heteromyidae.html