View source for Mouse-like hamster

{{Short description|Genus of rodents}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Late Miocene|Recent}}
| image = Calo10.jpg
| display_parents = 2
| parent_authority = Vorontsov & Potapova, 1979
| taxon = Calomyscus
| authority = [[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]], 1905
| type_species = ''[[Calomyscus bailwardi]]''
| type_species_authority = Thomas, 1905
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
''[[Calomyscus bailwardi]]''<br/>
''[[Calomyscus baluchi]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus behzadi]]''<br/>
''[[Calomyscus elburzensis]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus grandis]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus hotsoni]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus kermanensis]]''
''[[Calomyscus mystax]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus tsolovi]]''<BR/>
''[[Calomyscus urartensis]]''
}}
[[image:Calo03.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A mouse-like hamster]]
[[image:Calo13.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Mouse-like hamster using its tail for balance while standing on a branch]]

'''Mouse-like hamsters''', also called '''brush-tailed mice''' or '''calomyscids''', are a group of small [[rodent]]s belonging to the [[genus]] '''''Calomyscus''''' found in [[Syria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Iran]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Pakistan]]. They are found in rocky outcrops and semi-mountainous areas in desert regions. The [[Generic name (biology)|generic name]] ''Calomyscus'' derives from the [[Greek language|Greek]] word {{Transliteration|el|kalos}}, meaning {{Gloss|beautiful}}; the full name translates to "beautiful mouse".<ref name="MSW3">{{MSW3 Muroidea|id=13000054|pages=926-930|heading=Family ''Calomyscidae''}}</ref>

The mouse-like hamsters are not true [[hamster]]s, but represent an early split from the rest of the [[Muroidea|mouse-like rodents]]. They were once thought to be [[hamster]]s based on the shape of their molars, but they lack the [[cheek pouch]]es, flank glands and short tails of the true hamsters. The closest relatives of the mouse-like hamsters may be the extinct [[Cricetodontidae]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Michaux |first=Johan |last2=Reyes |first2=Aurelio |last3=Catzeflis |first3=François |date=2001-11-01 |title=Evolutionary History of the Most Speciose Mammals: Molecular Phylogeny of Muroid Rodents |url=http://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/18/11/2017/1063068 |journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution |language=en |volume=18 |issue=11 |pages=2017–2031 |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003743 |issn=0737-4038}}</ref> Because of their seemingly early break from the rest of the mouse-like rodents, mouse-like hamsters have been placed in a family of their own, '''Calomyscidae''', and have been referred to as [[living fossil]]s.<ref name="MSW3" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jansa |first=Sharon A. |last2=Weksler |first2=Marcelo |date=2004 |title=Phylogeny of muroid rodents: relationships within and among major lineages as determined by IRBP gene sequences |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1055790303002835 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |language=en |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=256–276 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2003.07.002}}</ref>

All members of the [[genus]] were once considered part of the same [[species]], ''[[Calomyscus bailwardi]]'', but they are now considered separate species due to major differences in [[chromosome]] number, [[skull]] measurements, and other features.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Steppan |first=Scott J. |last2=Adkins |first2=Ronald M. |last3=Anderson |first3=Joel |date=2004-08-01 |editor-last=Thorne |editor-first=Jeff |title=Phylogeny and Divergence-Date Estimates of Rapid Radiations in Muroid Rodents Based on Multiple Nuclear Genes |url=https://academic.oup.com/sysbio/article/53/4/533/1645071 |journal=Systematic Biology |language=en |volume=53 |issue=4 |pages=533–553 |doi=10.1080/10635150490468701 |issn=1076-836X}}</ref> Several species have been discovered in the 2020s,<ref name="tree2">{{Cite journal |last=Rezazadeh |first=Elham |last2=Zali |first2=Hessamodin |last3=Ahmadzadeh |first3=Faraham |last4=Siahsarvie |first4=Roohollah |last5=Kilpatrick |first5=C William |last6=Norris |first6=Ryan W |last7=Aliabadian |first7=Mansour |date=2024-06-01 |title=Two new species of brush-tailed mouse, genus Calomyscus (Rodentia: Calomyscidae), from the Iranian Plateau |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad116 |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=105 |issue=3 |pages=589–608 |doi=10.1093/jmammal/gyad116 |issn=0022-2372}}</ref> including [[Behzad's brush-tailed mouse]] (''C. behzadi'')<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dezhman |first1=M. |last2=Akbarirad |first2=S. |last3=Aliabadian |first3=M. |last4=Siahsarvie |first4=R. |last5=Shafaeipour |first5=A. |last6=Mirshamsi |first6=O. |year=2021 |title=A new species of ''Calomyscus'' Thomas, 1905 (Calomyscidae: Rodentia) from western Iran |url=https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/vol45/iss7/8 |journal=Turkish Journal of Zoology |volume=45 |issue=7 |pages=585–593 |doi=10.3906/zoo-2101-22}}</ref> and the [[Kerman brush-tailed mouse]] (''C. kermanensis'').<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dezhman |first1=M. |last2=Akbarirad |first2=S. |last3=Aliabadian |first3=M. |last4=Siahsarvie |first4=R. |last5=Shafaeipour |first5=A. |last6=Mirshamsi |first6=O. |year=2023 |title=A new species of brush-tailed mice of the genus ''Calomyscus'' from southern Iran (Calomyscidae: Rodentia) |journal=Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=71–101 |doi=10.22067/IJAB.2023.79456.1045}}</ref> There are two known extinct species: ''C. delicatus'' <small>Aguilar et al. 1984</small> and ''C. minor'' <small>de Bruijn et al. 1970</small>.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fossilworks: Calomyscidae |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=txn:104898 |access-date=June 11, 2025 |work=[[Paleobiology Database]] |publisher=[[University of Wisconsin–Madison]]}}</ref>

In [[Europe]], a species of ''Calomyscus'' is available as a [[pet]]. They are labelled ''Calomyscus bailwardi mystax'' or ''Calomyscus bailwardi''. They are generally only available from dedicated breeders, not pet shops.

==Species==
{{Main article|List of calomyscids}}
The family Calomyscidae consists of eight extant species in one genus. This does not include [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid species]] or extinct prehistoric species. Only one of these species, [[Goodwin's brush-tailed mouse]], has more than one subspecies.<!--A monotypic species counts as 1 subspecies--> The cladogram below is based on that produced by Rezazadeh and colleagues in 2024, and excludes ''[[Calomyscus tsolovi]]'' due to deficient data.<ref name="tree">{{Cite journal |last=Rezazadeh |first=Elham |last2=Zali |first2=Hessamodin |last3=Ahmadzadeh |first3=Faraham |last4=Siahsarvie |first4=Roohollah |last5=Kilpatrick |first5=C William |last6=Norris |first6=Ryan W |last7=Aliabadian |first7=Mansour |date=2024-06-01 |title=Two new species of brush-tailed mouse, genus Calomyscus (Rodentia: Calomyscidae), from the Iranian Plateau |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad116 |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=105 |issue=3 |pages=589–608 |doi=10.1093/jmammal/gyad116 |issn=0022-2372}}</ref>

Family '''Calomyscidae'''
{{col-float|firstcol=25em}}
* Genus ''[[Calomyscus]]'': eight species
**[[Zagros Mountains mouse-like hamster]], ''C. bailwardi''
**[[Baluchi mouse-like hamster]], ''C. baluchi''
**[[Behzad's mouse-like hamster]], ''C. behzadi''
**[[Calomyscus elburzensis|Goodwin's mouse-like hamster]], ''C. elburzensis''
***Zykov's mouse-like hamster, ''C.  e. zykovi''
**[[Noble mouse-like hamster]], ''C. grandis''
**[[Hotson's mouse-like hamster]], ''C. hotsoni''
**[[Kerman mouse-like hamster]], ''C. kermanensis''
**[[Great Balkhan mouse-like hamster]], ''C. mystax''
**[[Tsolov's mouse-like hamster]], ''C. tsolovi''
**[[Urar mouse-like hamster]], ''C. urartensis''
{{col-float-break}}
{{cladogram|clades={{Clade|style=width:20em;
|label1='''[[Calomyscidae]]'''
|1={{clade
|2={{clade
   |1=''[[Calomyscus mystax]]''
   |2={{clade
    |1=''[[Calomyscus grandis]]''
    |2={{clade
     |1=''[[Calomyscus urartensis]]''
     |2=''[[Calomyscus elburzensis]]''
     }}
    }}
   }}
  |1={{clade
  |2=''[[Calomyscus hotsoni]]''
   |1={{clade
   |2=''[[Calomyscus baluchi]]''
    |1=''[[Calomyscus bailwardi]]''
    }}
   }}
 }}
}}}}
{{col-float-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120304051550/http://www.rodent-info.net/turkmenischer_maushamster_fotos.htm Photos of the Turkmen Mouse-like hamster (German page)]

{{Rodents}}
{{Calomyscidae nav}}
{{Myomorpha|E.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q284030|from2=Q15179606}}

[[Category:Muroid rodents]]
[[Category:Mouse-like hamsters|*]]
[[Category:Mammals of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Mammals of West Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Central Asia]]
[[Category:Extant Miocene first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas]]