| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia.
Once known simply as "desert rats," the gerbil family includes 89 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats. Therefore, most are primarily nocturnal, and almost all are omnivorous.
One Mongolian species, Meriones Unguiculatus, also known as the Clawed Jird, is a gentle and hardy animal that has become a popular pet. It was first brought to the United States in 1954 by Dr. Victor Schwentker for use in research.
Gerbils are typically between six and twelve inches (150 to 300 mm) long, and their tail makes up approximately one half of their total length. One species, however, the Great Gerbil, or Rhombomys opimus, originally native to Turkmenistan, can grow to more than 16 inches (400 mm) in length. As of August 19August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 134 days remaining. Events 1561 Mary Stuart returns to Scotland. 1692 Salem Witch Trials: In Salem, Massachusetts five women and a clergyman are executed aft, 20032003 is a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar), and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Summary Perhaps the defining global event of the year 2003 was the Invasion of Iraq launched by the U, officials in western ChinaThis article is on the geographic and cultural entity. For other meanings, see China (disambiguation). China ( Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , Hanyu Pinyin: Zhongguo, Wade-Giles: Chung-kuo) is a country in continental East Asia with some oute's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region began releasing eagleAquila ''Haliaeetus ''Pithecophaga ''Circaetus Scientists argue whether Accipitriformes are a separate order,or belong to the Falconiformes. Eagles are large birds of prey, which are found mainly in the Old World, with only two species ( Bald Eagle and Gos to combat the damage they say the great gerbils have done to eleven million acres (46,000 kmē) of grassland.[1]
Family Cricetidae , the hamstersee text A hamster is a rodent belonging to subfamily Cricetinae . The subfamily contains about 18 species, classified in six or seven genera. Most have expandable cheek pouches, which reach from their cheeks to their shoulders. Species of hamsters The be-like rodents, belongs to the superfamilyIn biology, a superfamily is a taxonomic grade intermediate between suborder and family. Plant superfamilies end with the suffix acea animal superfamilies end with oidea (although in older books the suffix acea is still used). Superfamily can also refer t Muridae, which also includes mice and rats. Subfamily Gerbilinae consists of the following 14 genera, 9 subgenera and 89 species:
Genus Gerbillus (Typical gerbils; Northern pygmy gerbils)
Genus Meriones (Jirds)
Genus Psammomys (Sand rats)
Genus Rhombomys (Larger gerbil)
Genus Pachyuromys (Fat-tailed gerbil)
Genus Tatera (Large naked-soled gerbils)
Genus Desmodillus (Short-eared gerbil)
Genus Microdillus (listed as a subgenus of Gerbillus until 1977)
Genus Taterillus (Small naked-soled gerbils)
Genus Desmodilliscus
Genus Ammodillus (Walo)
Genus Brachiones (Przewalski's gerbil)
Genus Gerbillurus (Southern pygmy gerbils)
Genus Sekeetamys (Bushy-tailed jird; listed as a subgenus of Meriones until 1956)