Article
Article
Rodentia
Article By:
Korth, William W. Rochester Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Penfield, New York.
Last reviewed:August 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.592800
Show previous versions
- Rodentia, published June 2014:Download PDF
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader
The mammalian order consisting of the rodents, often known as the gnawing mammals. Rodentia is the largest mammalian order. It comprises the most diverse group of mammals in the world, consisting of more than 2000 species and totaling more than 40% of the known species of mammals on Earth today. Rodents range in size from mice, weighing only a few grams, to the South American capybara, which measures up to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) in length and can weigh up to 80 kg (176 lb) [Fig. 1]. Rodents have been found in virtually every habitat, from tundra to tropical rainforests, and they live on every continent, except Antarctica. See also: Cavies; Mammalia; Mice and rats
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
