Birch mouse
| Birch mice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sicista betulina | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Superfamily: | Dipodoidea |
| Family: | Dipodidae |
| Subfamily: | Sicistinae Allen, 1901 |
| Genus: | Sicista Gray, 1827 |
| Species | |
|
Sicista armenica | |
Birch mice (genus Sicista) are small jumping desert rodents that resemble mice with a long tufted tail and very long hind legs, allowing for remarkable leaps. All variants possess a long tail of 65 to 110 mm (2.6 to 4.3 in) of length and weigh about 6 to 14 g (0.21 to 0.49 oz). Head and body length of 50 to 90 mm (2.0 to 3.5 in) and hind foot length of 14 to 18 mm (0.55 to 0.71 in).[1] The skin color is light brown or dark-brown to brownish yellow on the upper side and paler on the underside, but generally brownish.[1]
Species
There are 13 species listed in Mammal Species of the World (2005).[2]
- Armenian Birch Mouse, Sicista armenica
- Northern Birch Mouse, Sicista betulina
- Caucasian Birch Mouse, Sicista caucasica
- Long-tailed Birch Mouse, Sicista caudata
- Chinese Birch Mouse, Sicista concolor
- Kazbeg Birch Mouse, Sicista kazbegica
- Kluchor Birch Mouse, Sicista kluchorica
- Altai Birch Mouse, Sicista napaea
- Gray Birch Mouse, Sicista pseudonapaea
- Severtzov's Birch Mouse, Sicista severtzovi
- Strand's Birch Mouse, Sicista strandi
- Southern Birch Mouse, Sicista subtilis
- Tien Shan Birch Mouse, Sicista tianshanica
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ronald M. Nowak (1999). Walker's mammals of the world. JHU Press. pp. 1329–. ISBN 978-0-8018-5789-8. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ↑ Holden, M. E.; Musser, G. G. (2005). "Family Dipodidae". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 871–893. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.