Cricetidae

CricetidaeFischer, 1817

Accepted name, Mammal Species of the World 2005

The cricetid-murid question has persisted as the dominant theme, or uncertainty, involving the higher level classification of muroid rodents over the past century (see summaries in Carleton, 1980, and Carleton and Musser, 1984): in essence, should the various subfamilies be approximately equally apportioned between Cricetidae and Muridae (Miller and Gidley, 1918; Simpson, 1945) or should most be placed under an all encompassing Muridae (Alston, 1876; Ellerman, 1940; Thomas, 1896—even these studies, however, accorded the fossorially specialized forms separate familial rank; i.e., the spalacines, rhizomyines, and myospalacines in various combinations). While the inclusive view of Muridae has gained acceptance over the latter half of the 20th century (Hershkovitz, 1962; Hooper and Musser, 1964a; McKenna and Bell, 1997), there are notable departures (Chaline et al., 1977; Lavocat, 1978), and Reig (1980, 1981, 1984), in particular, has steadfastly espoused recognition of a separat... [truncated]

• Wilson, D and Reeder, D. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 3rd ed. -- 2142 pp. Johns Hopkins University Press.