Definition of heteromyidaes Heteromyidaes

We found 1 definitions of heteromyidaes from 1 different sources.

What does heteromyidaes mean?

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Noun
heteromyidae - small New World burrowing mouselike rodents with fur-lined cheek pouches and hind limbs and tail adapted to leaping; adapted to desert conditions: pocket mice; kangaroo mice; kangaroo rats
		family Heteromyidae
		mammal family a family of mammals
		sciuromorpha, suborder sciuromorpha large more or less primitive rodents: squirrels; marmots; gophers; beavers; etc.
		pocket mouse any of various small nocturnal burrowing desert rodents with cheek pouches and long hind legs and tail
		genus perognathus, perognathus pocket mice
		genus liomys, liomys pocket mice
		dipodomys, genus dipodomys kangaroo rats

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

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.

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