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This order is the largest order of mammals. Among the rodents, the largest living rodent is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and may have a body weight of even 50 kg. Rodents have no second incisors, canines or front premolar teeth.
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There is a distinct gap, the diastema between the incisor and the cheek teeth. By the incisor teeth, rodents are able to gnaw the feed or other materials efficiently. The incisor teeth grow continuously during the lifetime of the animals.
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Special jaw movements are the characteristic features in the rodents(when chewing activity is carried out, the lower jaw moves backwards, hence, the upper and lower cheek teeth gets opposed but its incisors that are positioned one behind the other are not. Internal cheek pouches are present in few rodents (eg. Golden hamster).
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Classification should be known for a better understanding on these creatures.
Classification
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Sub-order
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No.of species
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Sciuromorpha (“Squirrellike”) Eg. Squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, gophers, beavers, kangaroo rats, springhaas etc.
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366
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Myomorpha (“ratlike”) Eg. Rat, mice, voles, hamsters, lemmings etc.
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1183
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Hystricomorpha (“porcupinelike”) Eg. Porcupines, cavies, capybaras, chinchillas, agoutis etc.
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180
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Other species
- Tuco-tucos, Nutria, Guinea pig, woodchuck, Pacas, Pacarana, Eastern fox squirrel, burrowing rodents like woodchuck or groundhog (Marmota monax) etc.
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Participants