Dormouse
| Dormice Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| African dormouse, Graphiurus sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Sciuromorpha |
| Family: | Gliridae Muirhead in Brewster, 1819 |
| Type genus | |
| Glis Brisson, 1762 | |
| Subfamilies and genera | |
A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae (this family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists). Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibernation period of six months or longer. There are 9 genera and 28 living species of dormice, with half of living species belonging to the African genus Graphiurus.