Kangaroo rat
Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus Dipodomys, are native to arid areas of western North America. The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed this mode of locomotion independently, like several other clades of rodents (e.g. dipodids and hopping mice).
Kangaroo rats Temporal range: Late Pliocene – Recent | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Heteromyidae |
Subfamily: | Dipodomyinae |
Genus: | Dipodomys Gray, 1841 |
Type species | |
Dipodomys phillipsii Gray, 1841 | |
Species | |
Dipodomys agilis |
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