Gundi
Encyclopedia
Gundis are a group of small, stocky rodent
s found in Africa
. They live in rocky desert
s across the northern parts of the continent. The family comprises 4 living genera
and 5 species
(Speke's Gundi, Felou Gundi
, Desert Gundi, North African Gundi and Mzab Gundi
), as well as numerous extinct genera and species (McKenna and Bell, 1997). They are in the superfamily Ctenodactyloidea. They first came to the notice of western naturalists in Tripoli
in 1774 and were given the name 'gundi mice'.
s, which in some species are covered in a large fan of hair that aids in balancing as they move about their rocky and uneven environment. They are herbivorous
, eating almost every type of available plant. Like many other desert animals, they do not drink, obtaining all the moisture they need from their food. Their incisor
s lack the layer of tough, orange, enamel
found in other rodents, and they have a dental formula
of:
Females typically give birth to two young at a time, after a gestation
period of about two months. Because of the need to preserve moisture, female gundis produce only a small amount of milk
, and the young are fully weaned
by four weeks of age.
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Gundis live in colonies of up to a hundred or more individuals, although this is much less in environments where food is particularly scarce. They do not make permanent dens, simply sheltering in crevices in the rocks at night, or during midday
when the sun becomes too hot for them to remain active. They are vocal animals, with a range of alarm calls and communication signals helping to bond groups together.
study by Huchon et al. (2007), the ancestors of the gundis diverged from those of the Laotian Rock Rat
around the Lutetian
, some 44 mya (Early/Middle Eocene
).
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. They live in rocky desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s across the northern parts of the continent. The family comprises 4 living genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
and 5 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
(Speke's Gundi, Felou Gundi
Felou Gundi
The Felou Gundi is a species of rodent in the Ctenodactylidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Felovia.It is found in Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal....
, Desert Gundi, North African Gundi and Mzab Gundi
Mzab Gundi
The Mzab Gundi is a species of rodent in the Ctenodactylidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Massoutiera. It is found in Algeria, Chad, Mali, Niger, and possibly Libya.-References:...
), as well as numerous extinct genera and species (McKenna and Bell, 1997). They are in the superfamily Ctenodactyloidea. They first came to the notice of western naturalists in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in 1774 and were given the name 'gundi mice'.
Characteristics
Gundis are from 17–18 cm in body length, with compact bodies covered in soft fur, short legs, and large eyes. Gundis have short tailTail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
s, which in some species are covered in a large fan of hair that aids in balancing as they move about their rocky and uneven environment. They are herbivorous
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, eating almost every type of available plant. Like many other desert animals, they do not drink, obtaining all the moisture they need from their food. Their incisor
Incisor
Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and mandible below.-Function:...
s lack the layer of tough, orange, enamel
Tooth enamel
Tooth enamel, along with dentin, cementum, and dental pulp is one of the four major tissues that make up the tooth in vertebrates. It is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the human body. Tooth enamel is also found in the dermal denticles of sharks...
found in other rodents, and they have a dental formula
Dentition
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age...
of:
Females typically give birth to two young at a time, after a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period of about two months. Because of the need to preserve moisture, female gundis produce only a small amount of milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, and the young are fully weaned
Weaning
Weaning is the process of gradually introducing a mammal infant, either human or animal, to what will be its adult diet and withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk.The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk...
by four weeks of age.
Gundis live in colonies of up to a hundred or more individuals, although this is much less in environments where food is particularly scarce. They do not make permanent dens, simply sheltering in crevices in the rocks at night, or during midday
Midday
Midday is a television show that aired on Australia's Nine Network from 1985-1998. The show aired, like its title suggests, at noon on every weekday and was a 90 minute variety programme with international and local guests. It featured interviews, musical performances and comedy spots...
when the sun becomes too hot for them to remain active. They are vocal animals, with a range of alarm calls and communication signals helping to bond groups together.
Evolution
According to the comprehensive DNA sequenceDNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
study by Huchon et al. (2007), the ancestors of the gundis diverged from those of the Laotian Rock Rat
Laotian rock rat
The Laotian rock rat or kha-nyou , sometimes called the "rat-squirrel", is a rodent species of the Khammouan region of Laos. The species was first described in a 2005 article by Paulina Jenkins and coauthors, who considered the animal to be so distinct from all living rodents that they placed it...
around the Lutetian
Lutetian
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between and . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene subepoch...
, some 44 mya (Early/Middle Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
).