Rodent Behavior and Ecology Quiz

A suborder within the Rodentia order, encompassing squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, marmots, and others.

A suborder of rodents including beavers, pocket gophers, and kangaroo rats.

A suborder of rodents including porcupines, capybaras, and guinea pigs.

A rodent in the Aplodontiidae family; the most primitive extant rodent.

The act of eating their own feces to extract nutrients.

Elaborate systems of burrows with chambers for storing food and feces.

An animal that eats only plants.

Deserts and grasslands of western North America, sometimes forests, extending to northern South America.

Mostly seeds and plant parts, carried in cheek pouches.

Second largest rodent in the world, after the capybara, weighing up to 30 kg.

Semiaquatic with sleek bodies, webbed feet, and flattened tails, building dams, canals, and lodges.

Cambium, bark, leaves, and roots, storing tree sections underwater for winter.

Highly saltatorial, jumping on hind legs.

Southeastern Africa.

Live in tunnels, plugging entrances with soil from inside.

Equatorial western and central Africa, roosting in hollow trees.

Blind mole rats use their powerful front teeth for digging, which are separated from the rest of the mouth by a flap of skin. They can close their mouth while the incisors remain outside.

Spalax mole rats don't have enlarged front claws and don't use their forearms for digging, unlike other fossorial rodents.

Spiny dormice are found in this family, characterized by their spiny fur, clawless hallux, bushy tail, and prominent ears.

This family includes pouched rats and mice, with diverse appearances and habits, ranging from herbivory to insectivory and from tree climbing to burrowing.

Females in this species produce up to 10 litters of up to 5 young each year, with a gestation period of about 30 days.

This family encompasses jumping mice, birch mice, and jerboas, known for their saltation abilities, particularly in jerboas.

Jerboas possess very long hind legs with fused metatarsal bones forming a single long bone called the cannon bone.

Jumping mice have long feet but lack the extreme adaptations of jerboas. They move by crawling or making short hops, unlike the long leaps of jerboas.

Many Dipodidae rodents are omnivores, feeding on seeds, insects, and other available food sources.

Some jerboa species are entirely insectivorous, relying solely on insects for their diet.

Agoutis move with a unique combination of trot and rapid jumps, creating a gallop-like appearance.

Pacas are large rodents found in high altitude South American forests, where they live in burrows.

Tuco-tucos are distinguished by their short legs, loose skin, long forefeet for digging, and hairy tails.

Degus are herbivores that primarily eat plants and seeds, often foraging on the surface.

Degus are highly social animals that live in groups, share burrow construction, and even nurse each other's young.

A large rodent native to North America, known for its sharp quills, powerful tail, and primarily herbivorous diet.

North American porcupines primarily consume bark, leaves, conifer needles, and other plant matter, occasionally supplementing their diet with insects and small reptiles.

A small, squirrel-like rodent found in southern Africa, characterized by hairy tails, bare soles with pads, and flattened heads. They primarily feed on grasses but also consume fruits, seeds, and leaves.

A large rodent found in marshy areas and along river banks in Africa. They are herbivores, feeding on aquatic grasses and can become pests by feeding on crops in cane plantations.

Chinchillas are found in the Andean regions of South America, living in burrows or crevices in rocks, often associated with mountainous terrains.

Chinchillas possess a variety of defensive mechanisms, including spraying urine and releasing fur if bitten, to deter predators.

The largest extant rodent, characterized by its semi-aquatic lifestyle, large size, and herbivorous diet. They are often found in marshes, lagoons, and rivers.

Capybaras are primarily herbivores, feeding on aquatic grasses, reeds, and other vegetation found in their wetland habitats.

A suborder of rodents characterized by a large, prominent incisor tooth and a typically slow reproductive rate, including porcupines, capybaras, and chinchillas.

A tail that is capable of grasping objects, often used for balance and climbing, as seen in North American porcupines.