Rodentia (rodents, including squirrels, mice, rats, Spring Hare, molerats, porcupines)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class: Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota > Synapsida (mammal-like reptiles) > Therapsida > Theriodontia >  Cynodontia > Mammalia (mammals) > Placentalia (placental mammals) > Euarchontaglires > Glires

Families indigenous or naturalised in southern Africa

Sciurognathi
	Sciuridae (squirrels) Eurasia, Africa, Americas.
	Muridae (mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, etc.)  worldwide.
	Pedetidae (Spring Hare Pedetes capensis)  One species: Pedetes capensis (Springhare), indigenous from South Africa to S Kenya.
	Myoxidae  (dormice)  [= Gliridae] Europe, Asia, Africa.
Hystricognathi
	Bathyergidae (African molerats)  Africa S of the Sahara.
	Hystricidae (Old-world porcupines)  Africa, S Asia. The only species in southern Africa is the Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis. It is the largest rodent in southern Africa. It has a distinctive appearance with its protective body covering of long rigid quills and flexible spines, banded in black and white. When alarmed, porcupines erect their crest and quills, stamp their hind feet and rattle their quills and make a grunting noise. If the threat continues they turn their rump towards it and defend themselves by running either sideways or backwards into the enemy. On contact the quills easily detach, and may penetrate the skin of the threatening animal. Porcupines live in extended family groups including both parents and their young of several years. Each group has a distinct territory. As they are active at night, they require shelter during the day and a family group may occupy a burrow system. or use crevices and caves in rocks. Usually one litter is born a year, with an average litter size of 1 -3 young.
	Petromuridae (Dassie-rat Petromus typicus)  One species: Petromus typicus (Dassie rat), indigenous to Namibia, southern Angola.
	Thryonomyidae (cane rats)  Africa S of the Sahara.

Families not encountered in southern Africa: Agoutidae (agoutis - Central and South America), Aplodontidae (Mountain Beaver Aplodontia rufa - NW USA), Castoridae (beavers - N. America, NW and NC Eurasia), Geomyidae (pocket gophers - USA to Colombia), Heteromyidae (pocket mice, kangaroo-rats - Americas), Dipodidae (jerboas - C Asia to NW Africa), Anomaluridae (scaly-tailed squirrels, flying squirrels - West and Central Africa), Ctenodactylidae (gundis - Sahara), Erethizontidae (New-world porcupines - Americas), Chinchillidae (viscachas, chinchillas - Southern South America), Dinomyidae (Pacarana Dinomys branickii - South America), Caviidae (Guinea pigs - South America), Hydrochaeridae (Capybara Hydrochaerus hydrochaerus - South America),  Dasyproctidae (pacas - Mexico to Brazil), Ctenomyidae (tuco-tucos - Peru - Patagonia), Octodontidae (degus - Southern South America), Abrocomidae (chinchilla-rats - Peru - N Chile), Echimyidae (American spiny rats - Central and South America), Capromyidae (hutias - West Indies), Myocastoridae (Coypu Myocastor coypus - South America).