Rodentia Gnawing Mammals Rodentia Checklist one pair of

Rodentia: Gnawing Mammals

Rodentia Checklist • one pair of upper and lower incisors – each enlarged, sharply beveled, ever-growing – enamel on outer surface only • diastama between incisors and premolars • other skull features

Sciuridae: Squirrels

Gray Squirrel Sciurus caroliniensis • melanistic (black) form in some areas • Besides nuts, also eat flowers, bark, buds, bird eggs, insects, carrion

Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger • “fox” refers to the reddish color • less arboreal, favors more open habitats

Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus • favors evergreens to mixed forests • store unripe cones in middens • also eat bird eggs, mushrooms • loud and vocal

Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans • more common of the two species • glide rather than powered flight • prefers deciduous woods • diet of fungi, lichens, nuts, seeds, bird eggs, sap

Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus • • prefer coniferous woods doesn’t hibernate eat hypogenous fungi susceptible to nematode parasite, Stongyloides robustus • G. volans is less susceptible

Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus • Facial stripes • Cheek pouches • 1 in east, 21 in west

Woodchuck Marmota monax • are a ground squirrel • AKA groundhog, whistle-pig • true hibernators • burrow up to 30’

Castoridae Beaver Castor canadensis • our largest rodent • perhaps most important animal in settling of North America • tail slapping threat behavior • can remain submerged 15 minutes

Cricetidae: Native Rats, Mice & Voles Largest family of NA mammals

Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus • feed on cattails and aquatic plants • actively scent-mark territories, hence the name • domed huts • tapered, hairless, scaly tail differs from beaver’s flat tail

Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus

White-footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus

Eastern Woodrat Neotoma floridana

Southern Red-backed Vole Clethrionomys gapperi

Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus

Rock Vole Microtus chrotorrhinus

Woodland Vole Microtus pinetorum

Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi

Muridae: Old World Rats & Mice

Norway Rat (I) Rattus norvegicus

House Mouse (I) Mus musculus

Zapodidae: Jumping Mice Meadow Jumping Mouse Zapus hudsonius

Woodland Jumping Mouse Napaeozapus insignis

Erethizontidae: Porcupines Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum • quills are modified hairs with barbed tip • few predators except Fisher • in winter, feed on inner bark of trees • more varied diet in summer