View source for Zokor

{{Short description|Subfamily of rodents}}
{{automatic taxobox
| name = Zokors
| image = Eospalax baileyi (11).jpg
| image_caption = [[Chinese zokor|Plateau zokor]], (''Eospalax fontanierii baileyi'')
| fossil_range = Late [[Miocene]] - recent
| taxon = Myospalacinae
| authority = [[William Lilljeborg|Lilljeborg]], 1866
| subdivision_ranks = [[Genus|Genera]]
| subdivision = 
''[[Eospalax]]''<br>
''[[Myospalax]]''<br>
{{extinct}}''[[Pliosiphneus ]]''
}}
'''Zokors''' are [[Asia|Asiatic]] burrowing [[rodent]]s resembling [[Spalacidae|mole-rats]]. They include two genera: ''[[Myospalax]]'' and ''[[Eospalax]]''.  Zokors are native to much of [[China]], [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Siberia|Siberian Russia]].

Traditionally, zokors were thought to be closely related to either [[hamster]]s ([[Cricetinae]]) or [[vole]]s ([[Arvicolinae]]), but recent [[molecular phylogeny|molecular phylogenetic]] studies have demonstrated they are more closely related to [[blind mole-rat]]s ([[Spalacinae]]) and root and [[bamboo rat]]s ([[Rhizomyinae]]) in the family [[Spalacidae]].  It appears that one of the first important [[cladogenesis|evolutionary splits]] in [[Muroidea|muroid]] rodents is between burrowing forms and [[Eumuroida|nonburrowing forms]].{{cn|date=May 2021}}

Unlike the other [[Spalacidae|spalacids]], which primarily use their [[incisor]]s, zokors use their powerful front claws for digging.  They have small eyes and no external ears.  Zokors feed on plant matter such as [[tuber]]s and [[seed]]s.

==Taxonomy==
'''Subfamily Myospalacinae'''
*Genus ''[[Myospalax]]''
**''Myospalax myospalax'' species group
***[[False zokor]], ''M. aspalax''
***[[Siberian zokor]], ''M. myospalax''
**''Myospalax psilurus'' species group
***[[Transbaikal zokor]], ''M. psilurus''
*Genus ''[[Eospalax]]''
**[[Chinese zokor]], ''E. fontanierii''
**[[Rothschild's zokor]], ''E. rothschildi''
**[[Smith's zokor]], ''E. smithii''

==References==
{{no footnotes|date=May 2021}}
*Jansa, S. A. and M. Weksler. 2004. [[Phylogeny]] of [[Muroidea|muroid]] [[rodent]]s: relationships within and among major lineages as determined by IRBP [[gene]] sequences.  Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:256-276.
*Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp.&nbsp;894–1531 ''in'' Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
*Norris, R. W., K. Y. Zhou, C. Q. Zhou, G. Yang, C. W. Kilpatrick, and R. L. Honeycutt. 2004. The phylogenetic position of the zokors ([[Myospalacinae]]) and comments on the families of [[Muroidea|muroids]] ([[Rodent]]ia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 31:972-978.
*Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's [[Mammal]]s of the World, Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, London.

{{Spalacidae nav}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3331471}}

[[Category:Spalacidae]]
[[Category:Mammal subfamilies]]
[[Category:Rodents of China]]
[[Category:Mammals of Siberia]]
[[Category:Fauna of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Rodents of Asia]]


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