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[R] Remarkably uniform order including 1/3 of all mammals. Rodents are small, poorly equipped against aggression from the outside and their brain is not very developed. These animals occur in very large numbers since they produce many offspring: each female gives birth to numerous young, which become sexually mature very early.
The characteristic feature of rodents is the dentition. Each jaw is provided with only 1 pair of incisors. Very powerful, strongly bent and projecting outside the mouth, these teeth grow throughout life and are covered by enamel only at their outside surface. Wearing less rapidly, the enamel forms sharp ridges on the crown of the tooth.
Canines are lacking.
Various families are present in Europe, including the Sciuridae (squirrels, marmots), the Gliridae (dormice), the Castoridae (beavers), the Cricetidae, the Gerbillidae, the Muridae (mice, rats) and the Microtidae (voles).
The wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and the Common vole (Microtus arvalis) can be harmful to crops.

[R] Images

* Rodent and Lagomorph heads (INRA)
1: rodent (simplicidenta), with 1 incisive sup_rieure (arrowed).
2: lagomorph (duplicidenta), with 2 incisives sup_rieures (arrowed).
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HYPPZ on line: Species (scientific names), Pests (common names), Glossary, Crops.

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