Giant pouched rat
| Giant pouched rat Temporal range: Recent |
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|---|---|
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| Cricetomys emini | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Nesomyidae |
| Subfamily: | Cricetomyinae |
| Genus: |
Cricetomys Waterhouse, 1840 |
| Species | |
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Cricetomys ansorgei |
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Cricetomys ansorgei
Cricetomys emini
Cricetomys gambianus
Cricetomys kivuensis
The giant pouched rats (genus Cricetomys) of sub-Saharan Africa are large muroid rodents. Their head and body lengths range from 25–45 cm (10–17.5 in) with scaly tails ranging from 36–46 cm (14–18 in). They weigh between 1.0 and 1.5 kg (2.2 and 3.3 lb).
Giant pouched rats are only distantly related to the true rats, though they were until recently placed in the family Muridae. Recent molecular studies, however, place them in the family Nesomyidae, part of an ancient radiation of African and Malagasy muroids. The name "pouched rat" refers to their large cheek pouches.
Females have been said to be capable of producing up to 10 litters yearly. Gestation is 27–36 days. One to five young are born at a time. Females have eight nipples.
The animals are nocturnal. They are omnivorous and feed on vegetation and small animals, especially insects. They have a particular taste for palm nuts. Like many related rodents that are hind gut fermenters, they are coprophagous, voiding soft fecal pellets of semidigested food that they eat directly from the anus.
In many African countries, giant pouched rats are valued as an important food item.
They are easily tamed as pets. However, they were associated with an outbreak of monkeypox in the USA in 2003 and have since been banned from importation to the US.
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Wikipedia