Diversity

The family Nesomyidae is a diverse group of African rodents that has recently proven to be even more diverse than originally thought, with the discovery of two new genera and species since 1995 (Carleton and Goodman 1996, 1998). Overall, this family encompasses 61 species and 21 genera in six subfamilies: the Cricetomyinae (African pouched rats), the Delanymyinae (swamp mice), the Dendromurinae (climbing mice), the Mystromyinae (white-tailed rat), the Nesomyinae (Malagasy rats and mice), and the Petromyscinae (African rock mice).