Cricetomyinae
pouched rats

Cricetomyinae, also known as pouched rats and mice, is an Old World group of nesomyid rodents. This subfamily contains eight species in three genera (Beamys, Cricetomys, and Saccostomus), divided between two tribes. (Musser and Carleton, 2005)

Cricetomyines are native to sub-sarahan Africa. (Carleton and Musser, 1984)

Cricetomyines live in savannahs, agricultural fields, sandy plains, scrub forests, moist woodlands, and forests. They are found at elevations from sea level to 2,100 meters. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

Cricetomyines range in length from 98 mm to 450 mm, and their tails measure 30 to 450 mm. The length of the tail is less than or equal to the length of the body. Pouched rats weigh anywhere from 40 g to almost 3 kg. Male Cricetomys are larger than female Cricetomys, but sexual dimorphism has not been reported for the other genera. Cricetomyines have robust bodies with large heads and short limbs. These rodents get their common name from their large cheek pouches. The ears are rounded and may be short or very large and nearly naked. The thick tail is naked or covered with short hairs and the eyes are relatively small. The strong hind feet have short toes. The pelage may be long and dense or short, coarse, and sleek, and it is gray or brown on the dorsal surface of the animal and white, gray, or buff-colored below. The soles of the feet are hairless.

The cricetomyine dental formula is 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3 = 16. The upper incisors are ungrooved, and the molars are rooted and cuspidate. There are accessory stylids on the labial side of the lower molars and accessory styles on the lingual side of the upper molars. The chevron-shaped enamel ridges of the molars are not joined by longitudinal mures or murids. There is a circular posteromedial cusp on the first and second lower molars. The mandibular ramus is relatively deep. The rostrum is long, and the area between the orbits is shaped like an hourglass. There is a slight notch and spine formed from the zygomatic plate. The jugal is large and composes most of the zygomatic arch. The malleus is of parallel construction. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

The mating system of cricetomyines has not been reported.

Some cricetomyines breed year round (e.g., Cricetomys), and others breed only during the rainy season (e.g. Beamys). Litter sizes range from 1 (Cricetomys gambianus) to 10 (Saccostomus campestris). Gestation lasts from 22 to 32 days, the young open their eyes at about three weeks, and they are weaned at five to six weeks. Young pouched rats reach sexual maturity at seven to nine months. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

Female cricetomyines build nests where they give birth to their young and nurse them for five to six weeks. (Nowak, 1999)

The record longevity of a pouched rat in captivity is 7 years, 10 months. Cricetomyines in the wild undoubtedly live much shorter lives. (Nowak, 1999)

Cricetomyines are nocturnal rodents, only occasionally foraging during the day. They are mainly terrestrial, but some climb and forage in trees and shrubs. On the ground, they walk with a slow, ambling gait. They build nests out of dry vegetation and place them in rock crevices, hollow trees, or in simple burrows situated among rocks. These simple burrows range from one to nine meters in length and are about 60 cm below the soil surface. Burrows contain chambers for storing food. Pouched rats have also been known to make use of burrows constructed by other animals. Cricetomyines are usually solitary, but males and females sometimes build their nests fairly close to one another. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

Cricetomyines communicate with one another through a range of complex vocalizations. They rely most on their senses of smell and hearing, as their eyes are fairly small, and if forced out into the daylight they behave as if nearly blind. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

These rodents are herbivorous or omnivorous, eating fruit, seeds, nuts, berries, roots, bulbs, crabs, snails, and sometimes insects. Coprophagy is known to occur in this group. Pouched rats hoard food in their large cheek pouches and carry it back to their burrows to store. (Carleton and Musser, 1984; Nowak, 1999)

Small mammalian carnivores, owls, snakes and humans are the most important cricetomyine predators. These animals probably rely on their vigilance, agility, and nocturnal habits to evade predation. (Carleton and Musser, 1984)

Cricetomyines have roles as primary and secondary consumers, and they are a food source for other mammals. Because of their habit of storing seeds, it is likely that cricetomyines also have a role in seed dispersal. Finally, cricetomyines are hosts for various flea species, including Xenopsylla crinita, Xenopsylla tortus, Xenopsylla sarodes, Dinopsyllus semnus, as well as a parasitic earwig, Hemimerus vosseleri, and numerous ticks. (Hubbard, 1972; Nowak, 1999)

Some native tribes hunt and eat Cricetomys gambianus, and this species is sometimes kept as a pet by rodent enthusiasts. (Nowak, 1999)

In some cities and towns, Cricetomys gambianus has become commensal with humans, living in sewers along with Rattus where it is also considered a pest. Also, cricetomyines carry the plague in some areas. (Hubbard, 1972; Nowak, 1999)

The two Beamys species are currently listed as near threatened by the IUCN, due to human-induced habitat loss and degradation. (IUCN, 2004)